A1 Expression Neutral

A che ora?

At what time?

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'A che ora?' to ask for the exact time an event happens.

  • Means: 'At what time?' or 'What time?'
  • Used in: Planning meetings, asking for train departures, or setting dinner dates.
  • Don't confuse: 'Che ora è?' (What time is it now?) with 'A che ora?' (At what time?).
Clock icon + Question mark = A che ora?

Explanation at your level:

Use 'A che ora?' to ask when something happens. It is very simple and useful for travel or meeting friends.
This phrase is essential for daily scheduling. It combines the preposition 'a' with 'che ora' to inquire about specific temporal points in the future or habitual actions.
As an interrogative expression, 'A che ora?' functions as a temporal adverbial phrase. It is frequently used in both formal and informal registers to elicit information regarding the timing of events, often requiring the present tense to express future scheduled actions.
The phrase 'A che ora?' demonstrates the Italian preference for using the present indicative for scheduled future events. It is a highly functional tool in communicative competence, allowing learners to navigate social and professional logistics with precision.
From a sociolinguistic perspective, 'A che ora?' serves as a primary marker for temporal negotiation. Its usage is pervasive across all registers, reflecting the necessity of temporal synchronization in modern Italian society. It is a quintessential example of how simple syntactic structures facilitate complex social coordination.
The phrase 'A che ora?' is a fundamental interrogative construct that exemplifies the intersection of deictic temporal reference and social pragmatics. By utilizing the preposition 'a' to denote a point in time, it functions as a precise instrument for temporal inquiry. Its ubiquity underscores the importance of chronemics in Italian culture, where the negotiation of time is a constant feature of interpersonal discourse.

Significado

Asking for a specific time.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Time is often flexible in social settings.

💡

Don't forget the 'A'

Always include the 'A' at the start.

Significado

Asking for a specific time.

💡

Don't forget the 'A'

Always include the 'A' at the start.

Ponte a prueba

Complete the question.

____ ora inizia il concerto?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: A che

The phrase is 'A che ora'.

🎉 Puntuación: /1

Preguntas frecuentes

1 preguntas

Rarely, but 'A che ora' is standard.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

Che ora è?

contrast

What time is it now?

Dónde usarla

☕

Meeting a friend

Luca: A che ora ci vediamo?

Anna: Alle quattro.

informal
🚆

Train station

Turista: Scusi, a che ora parte il treno per Roma?

Addetto: Alle dieci e mezza.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'A' as 'At' and 'che ora' as 'what hour'. At what hour?

Visual Association

Imagine a giant clock face in the middle of an Italian piazza. You are pointing at it and asking 'A che ora?'

Rhyme

A che ora, let's go explore-a!

Story

Marco is late. He runs to the station. He grabs a stranger and shouts, 'A che ora parte il treno?' The stranger points to the clock. Marco sighs in relief.

Word Web

oratempoquandoadessoprestotardi

Desafío

Ask 5 people today what time they do something in Italian.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

¿A qué hora?

Pronunciation of the 'h' in Spanish vs silent 'h' in Italian.

French high

À quelle heure ?

French requires the feminine form 'quelle' because 'heure' is feminine.

German moderate

Um wie viel Uhr?

German focuses on quantity ('how much') rather than the interrogative 'what'.

Japanese moderate

何時に (Nan-ji ni)?

Word order is reversed; the preposition comes at the end.

Arabic moderate

في أي ساعة (Fi ayyi sa'ah)?

Arabic uses 'which' instead of 'what'.

Chinese low

几点 (Jǐ diǎn)?

No preposition is used in Chinese.

Korean moderate

몇 시에 (Myeot si-e)?

Particle 'e' is attached to the end.

Portuguese high

A que horas?

Portuguese prefers the plural 'horas' for time.

Easily Confused

A che ora? vs Che ora è?

Learners use it for future events.

Use 'A che ora' for future, 'Che ora è' for now.

Preguntas frecuentes (1)

Rarely, but 'A che ora' is standard.

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