How to Tell Time and Dates in Italian

Understanding Italian Time Formats

In Italian, the 24-hour clock is commonly used, especially in formal contexts like transportation schedules. However, the 12-hour format is widely used in everyday conversation.

The 24-Hour Clock

In the 24-hour format, you simply say the hour followed by the minutes. For example, 13:45 would be pronounced as "tredici e quarantacinque".

The 12-Hour Simple Clock

In informal settings, the 12-hour format is common. You need to specify the time of day, e.g., "di mattina" (in the morning), "del pomeriggio" (afternoon), "di sera" (evening).

Saying 'o'clock', 'half past', and 'quarter past/to'

In Italian, "o'clock" is translated as "in punto". For half past and quarter to/past, use "e mezzo" and "un quarto", respectively.

Expressing Dates in Italian

Dates in Italian are expressed in the order of day, month, and year. For example, the American date 03/15/2023 would be "il 15 marzo 2023" in Italian.

Months and Days

Months in Italian are not capitalized. "January" is "gennaio", "February" is "febbraio", etc. Days of the week begin with a lowercase letter: "Monday" is "lunedì", "Tuesday" is "martedì", etc.

Key Phrases to Remember

• Che ora è? (What time is it?)
• A che ora? (At what time?)
• Qual è la data di oggi? (What's today's date?)