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How to Say ‘I'm a bit late’ in Italian

Sono un po' in ritardo

SOH-noh oon poh een ree-TAR-doh

[SOH-noh oon poh een ree-TAR-doh]

💬 Usage Tip: un po' is short for un poco "a little", and the apostrophe marks the missing ending. Use it before anything: un po' stanco "a bit tired".

Phrase Breakdown

Sono un po'

SOH-noh oon poh

I am a bit

'Sono' means 'I am'. 'Un po'' is short for 'un poco' (a little). Link the words smoothly: SO-no-um-PO. Stress the final 'po''.

Example

Sono un po' stanco.

I'm a bit tired.

Words in this phrase

Sono

[SOH-noh]

I am

First person singular of essere, used to say who you are or where you are.

Example

Sono molto interessato alle opportunità di lavoro qui.

I am very interested in job opportunities here.

[oon]

Part of the fixed phrase 'un po'', meaning 'a bit'.

Example

Ho un po' di fame.

I'm a bit hungry.

po'

[poh]

bit, little

Short form of 'poco'; with 'un' it means 'a little'.

Example

Sono un po' stanco.

I'm a little tired.

in ritardo

een ree-TAR-doh

late

'Essere in ritardo' means 'to be late'. Tap the single r's and stress the middle syllable: in ri-TAR-do.

Example

Il treno è in ritardo.

The train is late.

Words in this phrase

[een]

in (late)

Used in the expression 'in ritardo', meaning 'late'.

Example

Il treno è in ritardo.

The train is late.

ritardo

[ree-TAR-doh]

delay, lateness

Masculine noun for being late; 'in ritardo' means late.

Example

Il treno è in ritardo.

The train is late.

Guides for Italian learners

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