The 24-hour clock in Italy
We have already seen how to tell the time in Italian, though this is using the typical 12-hour clock.
In Italian, it is common to use the 24-hour clock (sistema delle 24 ore) especially with transport times (plane and train schedules), movie times, concert times or any official time. This is to avoid any possibility of misunderstanding such as arriving at 8 at night when you were supposed to arrive at 8 in the morning!
ore (1-24) + minuti (1-60)
When the 24-hour clock is used, the expressions using quarto and mezzo are not used. You just say the number (quindici / trenta).
Since we already know how to tell the time with the numbers from 1-12, let’s look at the time with the numbers from 13-23.
- 13:00 = le tredici (1pm)
- 14:00 = le quattordici (2pm)
- 15:00 = le quindici (3pm)
- 16:00 = le sedici (4pm)
- 17:00 = le diciassette (5pm)
- 18:00 = le diciotto (6pm)
- 19:00 = le diciannove (7pm)
- 20:00 = le venti (8pm)
- 21:00 = le ventuno (9pm)
- 22:00 = le ventidue (10pm)
- 23:00 = le ventitré (11pm)
Sometimes a person will say the time giving the 12-hour clock version even if it is given in its 24-hour form.
- 14:00 = Sono le quattordici … OR … Sono le due.
Some example sentences:
- Sono le venti e cinquanta. = 20:50 = 8:50pm
- Il treno parte alle sedici e cinquanta. (The train leaves at 16:50 = 4.50pm)
24-Hour Time in Italian Summary Chart
CHART COMING SOON