When the time is after the hour, add the word 'e' and the appropriate number of minutes. To indicate the half hour, use the phrase 'e mezza.' To indicate the quarter of the hour, use the phrase 'e un quarto.'

e = and

e mezza = and half

e un quarto = and a quarter

E' l'una e venticinque = It's 1:25

Sono le tre e dieci = It's 3:10

E' l'una e mezza = It's 1:30

Sono le quattro e mezza = It's 4:30

E' l'una e un quarto = It's 1:15

Sono le dieci e un quarto = It's 10:15

When the time is before the hour, use the word 'meno' and the appropriate number of minutes.

meno = minus

E' l'una meno cinque = It's five 'til one or 12:55

Sono le otto meno venti = It's twenty 'til eight or 7:40

E' l'una meno un quarto = It's fifteen 'til one or 12:45

Sono le sette meno un quarto = It's fifteen 'til seven or 6:45

giorno = day

settimana = week

mese = month

anno = year

minuto = minute

ora = hour

fa = ago

orologio = clock, watch

mezzogiorno = noon

mezzanotte = midnight

Che ore sono? = What time is it?

E' l'una = It's one o'clock

Sono le due = It's two o'clock

E' mezzogiorno = It's noon

E' mezzonotte = It's midnight

Sono stanco = I am tired (male)

Sono stanca = I am tired (female)

Ho fame = I am hungry

Non lo so = I don't know

Sei pronto? = Are you ready? (male)

Sei pronta? = Are you ready? (female)

Sono pronto = I am ready (male)

Sono pronta = I am ready (female)

colazione = breakfast

pranzo = lunch

cena = dinner, supper

mattina = morning

pomeriggio = afternoon

sera = evening

notte = night

camera = bedroom

mensa = cafeteria

libreria = bookstore

bagno = bathroom

a = to, at

si' = yes

no = no

dove = where

dov'e' = where is

quando = when

adesso = now

cibo = food

ma = but

grazie = thank you

prego = you're welcome

forse = maybe, perhaps

pronto = ready, but it's also what you say when you answer the telephone instead of saying 'hello.'

Hi everybody, my name's Mike and this is the Let's Speak Italian podcast. So you've been listening to the first few lessons, and hopefully you're learning how to speak Italian.

Well with the first 100 lessons completed, I wanted to release the first few lessons for free as a little teaser so that you can see just how easy it is to learn to speak Italian. Now, by going to the website, you can buy the first 100 lessons for only $15.00. That includes 100 lessons, plus 20 review lessons as well, for a total of 120 lessons in all. That's 24 weeks of lessons, for only $15.00.  It's over 13 hours of Italian lessons, for the price of what you might pay for one music CD.

I've found that the key to learning to speak Italian is to learn a little bit every day, and to practice it with your friends. So get lessons 1-100, and listen to one lesson, every day for 24 weeks. By the end, you'll be amazed at how easy it was, and just how much you can learn by practicing a few minutes every day.

To buy the first 100 lessons, just go to the web site at www.letsspeakitalian.net and click on one of the banner ads. If you want to Download Lessons 1-100, click on the 'Download' banner ad. Once I get your payment, I'll e-mail you a link to the files. Be patient though, it might take a few hours before I check my email.  If you would rather Get Lessons 1-100 on CD-Rom, click on the 'CD' banner ad and once I receive your payment, I'll mail the CD-Rom to you.  For only $15.00 you'll be speaking Italian before you know it.

Grazie tanto, arrivederci.