Chapter 13: Questions And Answers

The Seasons (Le Stagioni)

Spring spring March to May

Summer estate June to August

Autumn autunno September to November

Winter inverno December to February

Chapter 6: Telling Time, Dates, Year, and Century

Italians generally use the 24-hour clock which is just a matter of adding 12 to the hours after noon. For instance, if the clock says 3 in the afternoon, it’s written as 15:00.

To ask for the specific time, you can use the following expressions:

What time is it? “Che ore sono?” or “Che ora è?”

What time do you have? “Che hora fai?”

To tell the time, you will use a definite article in the feminine form before the specific time. The singular linking verb “è” (is) is used to tell time when the hour is at 1 o’clock. The plural verb “sono” (are) is used to express time for all other hours. To express time between the hours, you’ll simply tell the hour and the minutes separating both time elements with the word “e” which means “and”.

Examples:

Sono le tre e ventuno.

It’s 1:15 AM. É l'una e un quarto.

It’s 5:23 PM. Sono le diciassette e ventitrè.

It’s 9:30 AM. Sono le nove e mezzo.

It’s 4:25 PM. Sono le sedici e venticinque.

It’s noon. É mezzogiorno.

It’s midnight. É mezzanotte.

When the minutes are past the half hour, you will use “meno” which means less and state the minutes before the approaching hour.

Example:

It’s quarter to four AM. Sono le quattro meno un quarto.

It’s ten minutes to six PM. Sono le diciotto meno dieci.

It’s twenty five minutes to 9 AM. So le nove meno venticinque.

Useful Time Expressions: ieri yesterday

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