l'una e mezza
The English phrase "half past" can be expressed in Italian using l'una e mezza. Wiktionary also lists mezza.
Meaning: "half past one" as example of usage in other languages (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| l'una e mezza | ||
| mezza | /ˈmɛd.d͡za/ | informal |
In Italian, you express the concept of "half past" a specific hour by using the structure [hour] e mezza, which literally means "and half".
Which one should you use?
The word mezza is used specifically for telling time to mean "half past". If you are referring to a literal "half" of an object, such as half of an apple, you should use the word metà instead.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form mezza is considered informal.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "half past" a certain hour, you use the structure [hour] e mezza. Note that when using this with one o'clock, the phrase uses the singular article l' because una is singular. For all other hours, you would use the plural article le.
Did you know?
- The word mezza comes from the Latin medius, which is the same root as the English word 'medium'.
- In Italy, saying l'una e mezza is common, but in some regional dialects, people may use e mezzo regardless of the gender of the hour, reflecting a shift toward the masculine form in colloquial speech.
- While mezza refers to the half-hour, if you want to say 'half an hour' as a duration of time, you must use mezz'ora.
Examples in context
- Sono le nove e mezza.It's half past nine.This sentence shows how to use mezza.Tatoeba #4729152 by Guybrush88, translation #8507376 by Adelpa
- Sono le otto e mezza.It's half past eight.Tatoeba #4752049 by Guybrush88, translation #434820 by lukaszpp
- Sono solo le sette e mezza.It is just half past seven.Tatoeba #2711125 by Guybrush88, translation #40144 by CK
- È l'una e mezza.It's one-thirty.
- Sono le due e mezza.It's two-thirty.
- Sono le cinque e mezza.It's half past five.
- La festa comincia alle nove e mezzo.The party starts at half past nine.
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Martina are checking the time before a meeting.
- AlessandroChe ore sono, Martina?What time is it, Martina?
- MartinaÈ l'una e mezza.It is half past one.
- AlessandroSiamo in ritardo!We are late!
- MartinaNon preoccuparti, Alessandro.Don't worry, Alessandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “half past” translations and entries mezza, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
