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looh -nah eh meh -dzoh.) ( It’s 1:30. )
    You may hear times that continue counting past 30 minutes and not simply with reference to the 24-hour clock.
    Sono le due e quarantacinque. ( soh -noh leh dweh eh kwah- rahn -tah- cheen -kweh.) ( It’s 2:45. )
    To ask at what time something is to happen, you say, A che ora . . . ? (ah keh oh -rah . . . ?)( At what time . . .? ) The reply is all’ (ahl)(for una ) ( ooh -nah), a (ah)(for mezzanotte or mezzogiorno ) (meh-dzah- noht -teh or meh-dzoh- johr -noh), or alle ( ahl -leh) (all mean at ) and a number. You can also say verso le due ( vehr -soh leh dooh -eh) ( around two ), for example.
    When talking about time, you often make reference to something that has already happened, is about to happen, or will happen as a result of something else. To that end, the following expressions may prove useful.
    â€¢ Prima ( pree -mah) ( first ): Prima mangiamo. ( pree -mah mahn- jah -moh.) ( First we’ll eat .)
    â€¢ Poi (pohy) ( then ): Poi andiamo. (pohy ahn- dyah -moh.) ( Then we’ll go. )
    â€¢ Dopo ( doh -poh) ( after ): Dopo parleremo. ( doh -poh pahr-leh- reh -moh.) ( Afterward, we’ll talk. )
    â€¢ Fra (frah) ( within ): Fra mezz’ora (frah mehdz- dzoh -rah) ( Within half an hour ).
    â€¢ Più tardi (pyooh tahr -dee) ( later ): Piu tardi li vedremo. (pyooh tahr -dee lee veh- dreh -moh.) ( Later, we’ll see them. ) and A più tardi (ah pyooh tahr -dee) ( Until later ).
    Il mezzogiorno (eel mehdz -dzoh- johr -noh) ( noon; midday ) also refers to the southern regions of Italy, including the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. It’s frequently used in publications (newspapers, magazines, and so forth) to refer to the area, approximately, south of Rome.
    Talkin’ the Talk
    Alex and Marco are waiting for Lella, Marco’s sister, to go downtown to the best gelateria (jeh-lah-teh- ryah ) ( ice-cream parlor ) in town. Lella is late. (Track 4)
    Alex: Come mai Lella ancora non si vede?
    koh- meh may lehl -lah ahn- koh -rah nohn see veh -deh?
    Why is Lella not here yet?
    Marco: Sai com’e’ Lella; per lei l’orologio è soltanto un accessorio-moda.
    sah -ee koh- meh lehl -lah; pehr ley loh-roh- loh -joh eh sohl- tahn -toh oohn ahch-chehs- soh -ryoh- moh -dah.
    You know how Lella is; watches are only a fashion accessory for her.
    Alex: Ma avevamo appuntamento alle 4! Che ore sono adesso?
    mah ah-veh- vah -moh ahp-poohn-tah- mehn -toh ahl -leh kwaht -troh! keh oh -reh soh -noh ah- dehs -soh ?
    But we were supposed to meet at 4! What time is it now?
    Marco: Le 4 o le 5, che cambia? Comunque sono le 4:35.
    leh kwaht -troh oh leh cheen -kweh, keh kahm -byah? koh- moohn -kweh soh -noh leh kwaht -troh eh trehn-tah- cheen -kweh.
    4 or 5, what does it matter? If you really want to know, it’s 4:35.
    Alex: Tu sarai anche abituato ai suoi ritardi, ma io no. Adesso la chiamo.
    tooh sah- rah -ee ahn -keh ah-bee- twah -toh ay swohy ree- tahr -dee, mah ee -oh noh. ah- dehs -soh lah kyah -moh.
    You might be used to her tardiness, but I’m not. I’m going to call her.
    Marco: Aspetta, ha appena mandato un messaggio . . . dice “ci vediamo direttamente in gelateria prima della chiusura. Poi vi spiego — Lella.”
    ah- speht -tah, ah ahp- peh -nah mahn- dah -toh oohn mehs- sahj -joh . . . dee -cheh “chee veh- dyah -moh dee-reht-tah- mehn -teh een geh-lah-teh- ryah pree -mah dehl -lah kyooh- sooh -rah. pohy vee spyeh -goh — lehl -lah.”
    Wait, she just sent a message . . . it says, “I’ll meet you directly at the ice-cream parlor before it closes. I’ll explain later — Lella.”
    Alex: Prima della chiusura? Cioè alle 19:30! Che facciamo per tre ore?
    pree -mah dehl -lah kyooh- sooh -rah? choh- eh ahl -leh dee-chahn- noh -veh eh trehn -tah! keh fahch- chah -moh pehr treh oh -reh?
    Before it closes? That’s at 7:30 p.m.! What are we going to do for three hours?
    Marco: Io una idea ce