Telling time in Italian uses the verb essere plus a definite article — and once you absorb the pattern, you can give and ask for the time anywhere from a train station to a dinner invitation. The big rule: hours from 2 to 12 take sono le (plural), while one o'clock takes è l'una, noon is è mezzogiorno, and midnight is è mezzanotte (all singular). So Sono le tre (It's three o'clock), Sono le otto e mezza (It's half past eight), È l'una e un quarto (It's quarter past one), È mezzogiorno (It's noon). For minutes you say e for past the hour (le sei e dieci) and meno for before (le sette meno cinque — five to seven).
In the exercises below you'll drill the singular/plural split, the e mezza, e un quarto, meno un quarto fractions, and the 24-hour clock that Italians use for trains, official schedules, and TV (le ventidue e trenta = 22:30 = 10:30 PM). You'll also learn to ask Che ora è? or Che ore sono? (both work), and to use prepositions like a (a che ora? — at what time?, alle tre — at three) and verso (verso le sei — around six). Time is one of those topics where small errors stand out instantly, so these patterns are worth automating until they feel like reflexes — they'll save you in every appointment, restaurant booking, and travel plan.
There are two ways to ask the time in Italian: - **Che ore sono?** — What time is it? (literally: What hours are they?) - **Che ora è?** — What time is it? (literally: What hour is it?) Both are correct and widely used.
Italian uses different verbs depending on the hour: - **È l'una** — It's 1:00 (singular: *l'una* is one) - **Sono le due** — It's 2:00 - **Sono le tre** — It's 3:00 - **Sono le quattro** — It's 4:00 - **Sono le cinque** — It's 5:00 - **Sono le sei** — It's 6:00 - **Sono le sette** — It's 7:00 - **Sono le otto** — It's 8:00 - **Sono le nove** — It's 9:00 - **Sono le dieci** — It's 10:00 - **Sono le undici** — It's 11:00 - **Sono le dodici** — It's 12:00 Rule: Use **è** for 1:00, **sono le** for all other hours.
Two special expressions replace numbers for midday and midnight: - **È mezzogiorno** — It's noon (12:00 PM) - **È mezzanotte** — It's midnight (12:00 AM) Note: these use **è** (not *sono*) and do not take the article *le*.
Add these phrases after the hour: - **e un quarto** — and a quarter (15 minutes past) - **e mezza / e mezzo** — and a half (30 minutes past) Examples: - **Sono le tre e un quarto** — It's 3:15 - **Sono le otto e mezza** — It's 8:30 - **È l'una e un quarto** — It's 1:15 - **È mezzogiorno e mezza** — It's 12:30 PM
For times 45 minutes past (or 15 minutes before the next hour), use: - **meno un quarto** — minus a quarter (15 minutes to) This refers to the *next* hour: - **Sono le quattro meno un quarto** — It's 3:45 (a quarter to four) - **Sono le otto meno un quarto** — It's 7:45 (a quarter to eight) - **È l'una meno un quarto** — It's 12:45 (a quarter to one)
You can express exact minutes by adding them after the hour: **Minutes past:** Sono le [hour] e [minutes] - **Sono le due e cinque** — It's 2:05 - **Sono le tre e dieci** — It's 3:10 - **Sono le sei e venti** — It's 6:20 - **Sono le nove e venticinque** — It's 9:25 **Minutes to:** Sono le [next hour] meno [minutes] - **Sono le tre meno dieci** — It's 2:50 (ten to three) - **Sono le otto meno cinque** — It's 7:55 (five to eight)
Italian does not use AM/PM. Instead, you specify the time of day: - **di mattina** — in the morning (roughly 6:00–12:00) - **del pomeriggio** — in the afternoon (roughly 12:00–18:00) - **di sera** — in the evening (roughly 18:00–22:00) - **di notte** — at night (roughly 22:00–6:00) Examples: - **Sono le nove di mattina** — It's 9:00 AM - **Sono le tre del pomeriggio** — It's 3:00 PM - **Sono le otto di sera** — It's 8:00 PM - **Sono le due di notte** — It's 2:00 AM
In official contexts (train stations, airports, TV schedules), Italy uses the 24-hour clock: - **Sono le tredici** — It's 13:00 (1:00 PM) - **Sono le quindici e trenta** — It's 15:30 (3:30 PM) - **Sono le venti** — It's 20:00 (8:00 PM) - **Il treno parte alle diciotto** — The train leaves at 18:00 (6:00 PM) The preposition **alle** (= at the) is used for scheduled times.
Common expressions for talking about time: - **a che ora?** — at what time? - **alle + time** — at [time] (e.g., *alle tre* — at 3:00) - **all'una** — at 1:00 - **verso le cinque** — around 5:00 - **in punto** — exactly, on the dot (e.g., *alle otto in punto* — at exactly 8:00) - **circa** — approximately - **presto** — early - **tardi** — late
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Basic O'Clock Times
10 questions
È l'una — The Special Case of 1:00
10 questions
Sono le — Hours 2 Through 12
10 questions
Mezzogiorno and Mezzanotte
10 questions
Recognizing Times in Italian
10 questions
Choosing Between È and Sono le
10 questions
Common Time Expressions
10 questions
Time Vocabulary
10 questions
Fill in Basic Time Expressions
10 questions
Group 1 Review: O'Clock Times
10 questions
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E un quarto — Quarter Past
10 questions
E mezza — Half Past
10 questions
Meno un quarto — Quarter To
10 questions
Quarter Past vs Quarter To
10 questions
Half Past — Full Practice
10 questions
Meno — Minutes To the Hour
10 questions
Reading Clock Times
10 questions
Reading Schedules with Quarter and Half Hours
10 questions
Fill in Quarter and Half Past Times
10 questions
Group 2 Review: Quarters and Halves
10 questions
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Minutes Past the Hour
10 questions
Minutes To the Hour
10 questions
Di mattina — Morning Times
10 questions
Del pomeriggio — Afternoon Times
10 questions
Di sera and Di notte — Evening and Night
10 questions
Choosing the Right Time of Day Expression
10 questions
Daily Routine Times
10 questions
Appointment Times
10 questions
Fill in Minutes and Time Periods
10 questions
Group 3 Review: Minutes and Time Periods
10 questions
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Che ore sono? — Asking the Time
10 questions
Che ora è? — Alternative Way to Ask the Time
10 questions
Answering Time Questions
10 questions
Formal Time Expressions
10 questions
Informal Time Expressions
10 questions
Train Schedules — Reading Italian Timetables
10 questions
School Schedule
10 questions
Work Hours
10 questions
Fill in Time Questions and Answers
10 questions
Group 4 Review: Questions and Schedules
10 questions
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The 24-Hour Clock — Full Practice
10 questions
Digital Time Format
10 questions
Calculating Time Differences
10 questions
Duration Expressions
10 questions
Arrival and Departure Times
10 questions
Real-World Time Situations 1
10 questions
Real-World Time Situations 2
10 questions
Time in a Paragraph
10 questions
Comprehensive Review 1
10 questions
Comprehensive Review 2 — Final Assessment
10 questions
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Use "Sono le" + number for most hours: "Sono le tre" (It’s 3 o’clock). Exceptions: "È l’una" (1:00), "È mezzogiorno" (noon), "È mezzanotte" (midnight). Add minutes with "e": "Sono le tre e venti" (3:20).
Say "Che ora è?" or "Che ore sono?" (literally "What hour is it?" / "What hours are they?"). Both are equally correct and equally common in everyday speech.
Use "e mezza" for half past: "le tre e mezza" (3:30). Use "e un quarto" for quarter past: "le tre e un quarto" (3:15). Use "meno un quarto" for quarter to: "le quattro meno un quarto" (3:45). The 24-hour clock is also common in formal contexts.
A1 Topics