Italian · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Minute" in Italian: minuto
il minuto
Minute in Italian is il minuto (eel mee-NOO-toh). Un minuto and un attimo both mean a moment. Tra cinque minuti means in five minutes.
On a phone call
Aspetta un minuto, prendo un foglio.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce minuto
Say it
eel mee-NOO-toh
/il miˈnu.to/
Minuto stresses NOO: mee-NOO-toh. Plural minuti is mee-NOO-tee.
"Minute" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| il minuto | minute Clock unit. | Clock unit. |
| un minuto | a minute / one moment Wait requests. | Wait requests. |
| tra cinque minuti | in five minutes Future timing. | Future timing. |
| minuti di ritardo | minutes late Transport delays. | Transport delays. |
How to use minuto in real life
- 1On a phone call
Aspetta un minuto, prendo un foglio.
Wait a minute, I'll get a sheet of paper.
Un minuto as a short wait.
- 2Station announcement echo
Il treno ha dieci minuti di ritardo.
The train is ten minutes late.
Minuti di ritardo.
- 3Meeting point
Arrivo tra due minuti.
I'll arrive in two minutes.
Tra + minuti for in X minutes.
Mistakes English speakers make with minuto
Incorrect: Aspetta un minute.
Correct: Aspetta un minuto.
Italian is minuto, not minute.
Incorrect: Cinque minuto di pausa.
Correct: Cinque minuti di pausa.
Plural minuti after numbers greater than one.
Good to know
Un minuto and un attimo are social softeners when you need a second. Transport culture obsesses over minuti di ritardo, and recipes still say cuocere per dieci minuti even when cooks wing it.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Running late to a café meetup
ChatPal
Sei a quanti minuti da qui?
How many minutes away are you?
You
Tre minuti, forse quattro.
Three minutes, maybe four.
ChatPal
Ok, ti aspetto cinque minuti al tavolo.
Ok, I'll wait five minutes for you at the table.
You
Grazie—un minuto e sono fuori dalla metro.
Thanks—one minute and I'm out of the metro.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Minute" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Minute" in Italian
How do I say wait a minute?
Aspetta un minuto, or aspetta un attimo.
What is the plural?
I minuti.
How do I say in ten minutes?
Tra dieci minuti.
Is minuto the same as moment?
Often yes in speech—un minuto can mean a short moment, not exactly 60 seconds.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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