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

Mi scusi, ha un minuto?

mee SKOO-zee ah oon mee-NOO-toh

[mee SKOO-zee ah oon mee-NOO-toh]

Phrase Breakdown

Mi scusi,

mee SKOO-zee

Excuse me,

The formal way to get someone's attention. Stress the first syllable of 'scusi': 'mi SCU-si'.

Example

Mi scusi, dov'è la stazione?

Excuse me, where is the station?

Words in this phrase

[mee]

Reflexive/object pronoun; with 'scusi' forms 'excuse me'.

Example

Mi scusi, signore.

Excuse me, sir.

scusi

[SKOO-zee]

excuse me (formal)

Polite form used to get attention or apologize to a stranger.

Example

Scusi, dov'è la stazione?

Excuse me, where is the station?

ha un minuto?

ah oon mee-NOO-toh

do you have a minute?

The 'h' is silent. Raise your voice at the end because it is a question: 'a-un mi-NU-to?'

Example

Dottore, ha un minuto?

Doctor, do you have a minute?

Words in this phrase

[ah]

you have (formal)

Third person form of 'avere', used for formal 'Lei'.

Example

Ha tempo domani?

Do you have time tomorrow?

[oon]

Indefinite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

In Un buon equilibrio, Un introduce l'idea di un balance positivo.

In 'Un buon equilibrio,' 'Un' introduces the idea of a positive balance.

minuto

[mee-NOO-toh]

minute

Masculine noun for a unit of sixty seconds.

Example

Aspetta un minuto, per favore.

Wait a minute, please.

Guides for Italian learners

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