Telling the time and reading the clock
Leggere l'ora e l'orologio
- Ask and tell the time
- Read the clock
Learn how to tell time in Italian using key expressions like "È l'una e un quarto" and "le sette e mezza del mattino." Master useful phrases for daily conversations, such as asking "Che ore sono?" and specifying moments like "mezzanotte" or "del pomeriggio."
Vocabulary (17) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Divide the words into two categories: expressions indicating times of the day and ways to tell the time.
Espressioni per i momenti della giornata
Modi per dire l'ora
Esercizio 4: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- What time is it in the pictures? (What time is it in the pictures?)
- What time is it right now? (What time is it right now?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Sono le tre e mezza. It's half past 3. |
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Sono le quattro del pomeriggio. It is four o'clock in the afternoon. |
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Sono le undici e quarantacinque. It's a quarter to twelve. |
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Sono le cinque e dieci. It is ten after five. |
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Sono le dieci e un quarto di mattina. It's quarter past ten in the morning. |
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È l'una di notte. It is one o'clock at night. |
| ... |
Exercise 5: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 6: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Io _____ sempre puntuale al lavoro.
(I _____ always arrive on time at work.)2. Tu _____ come funziona l'orologio digitale?
(You _____ know how the digital clock works?)3. Lui _____ sempre mezz'ora prima dell'appuntamento.
(He _____ always arrives half an hour before the appointment.)4. Noi _____ bene il tempo e le stagioni in Italia.
(We _____ know the weather and seasons well in Italy.)Exercise 7: Arriving on time for the appointment
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Conoscere - To know
Presente
- io conosco
- tu conosci
- lui/lei conosce
- noi conosciamo
- voi conoscete
- loro conoscono
Arrivare - To arrive
Presente
- io arrivo
- tu arrivi
- lui/lei arriva
- noi arriviamo
- voi arrivate
- loro arrivano
Ritardare - To be late
Presente
- io ritardo
- tu ritardi
- lui/lei ritarda
- noi ritardiamo
- voi ritardate
- loro ritardano
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Conoscere to know Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) conosco | I know |
| (tu) conosci | You know |
| (lui/lei) conosce | he/she knows |
| (noi) conosciamo | we know |
| (voi) conoscete | you know |
| (loro) conoscono | they know |
Arrivare to arrive Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) arrivo | I arrive |
| (tu) arrivi | You arrive |
| (lui/lei) arriva | he/she arrives |
| (noi) arriviamo | we arrive |
| (voi) arrivate | You arrive |
| (loro) arrivano | they arrive |
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Lesson Overview: Telling the Time and Reading the Clock in Italian
This lesson focuses on understanding and expressing time in Italian, an essential skill for everyday communication and practical situations like work, travel, and social meetings. You will learn how to ask for the time, state exact and approximate hours, and use common expressions referring to different parts of the day.
Key Expressions for Telling Time
The lesson introduces phrases to set the time precisely or approximately, for example: "L'orologio segna le sette e mezza del mattino." (The clock shows 7:30 in the morning) and "È l'una e un quarto." (It's 1:15). Important time markers include terms like "in punto" (on the dot), "e mezza" (half past), and "e un quarto" (quarter past).
Expressions for Different Times of the Day
Italian uses specific phrases to refer to parts of the day, such as:
- del mattino – in the morning
- del pomeriggio – in the afternoon
- di notte – at night
- mezzanotte – midnight
Understanding these helps provide context when stating or asking the time.
Conversational Practice and Contextual Use
The lesson includes practical dialogues for various situations:
- Asking the time at work.
- Confirming train departure schedules.
- Organizing social meetings at a bar.
These dialogues model natural language use and polite conversation, aiding comprehension and speaking skills.
Verbs to Know
Key verbs reinforce actions related to time:
- arrivare (to arrive), with conjugations like io arrivo, lui arriva, noi arriviamo.
- conoscere (to know), appearing as io conosco, tu conosci, noi conosciamo.
- ritardare (to be late), such as io ritardo, tu ritardi, loro ritardano.
The lesson provides exercises to practice these verb forms in context.
Comparison and Useful Notes
Unlike English, which often uses a 12-hour clock with AM and PM, Italian expresses time alongside phrases like del mattino or del pomeriggio to clarify the time of day. For example, Italian says "Le sette del mattino" (7 AM) versus "Le sette di sera" (7 PM). Moreover, Italian often uses quarters and halves differently, stating times like "un quarto" for quarter past and "mezza" for half past, which differ in phrasing from English.
Some useful phrases to remember:
- Che ore sono? – What time is it?
- Arrivo alle otto in punto. – I arrive at eight o'clock sharp.
- Il treno parte a mezzanotte. – The train leaves at midnight.
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