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How to Say ‘Sorry, do you have a minute?’ in Italian

Scusa, hai un minuto?

SKOO-zah eye oon mee-NOO-toh

[SKOO-zah eye oon mee-NOO-toh]

🇮🇹 In Italy: This is how you'd casually interrupt a colleague you're on friendly terms with. To approach a manager or a stranger, say Scusi, ha un minuto? instead.

Phrase Breakdown

Scusa,

SKOO-zah

Excuse me / Sorry,

An informal 'excuse me', used with friends and colleagues. Stress the first syllable: 'SCU-sa'. Pause briefly after it.

Example

Scusa, dov'è il bagno?

Excuse me, where is the bathroom?

Words in this phrase

Scusa

[SKOO-zah]

sorry

Feeling regret or penitence.

Example

Devo dire scusa per il ritardo.

I must say sorry for the delay.

hai un minuto?

eye oon mee-NOO-toh

do you have a minute?

The h in 'hai' is silent, so it sounds like 'eye'. Stress 'NU' in 'minuto' and let your intonation rise at the end.

Example

Hai un minuto per me?

Do you have a minute for me?

Words in this phrase

hai

[eye]

do you have

Used to ask whether something is in someone's possession.

Example

Hai una macchina?

Do you have a car?

[oon]

Part of the phrase un quarto, meaning a quarter of an hour.

Example

Alle nove e un quarto ci incontriamo al bar.

At nine fifteen we meet at the café.

minuto

[mee-NOO-toh]

Minute

A unit of time equal to sixty seconds.

Example

Ci vediamo tra un minuto.

See you in a minute.

Guides for Italian learners

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