alle sette e mezzo vs alle sette e mezza

Some conversations in Rocket Italian use “mezza” and some use “mezzo” when expressing half past the hour. Is there a pattern? Thanks!

Hi Margie,

Absolutely, there is a pattern!
 

- When referring to "half past the hour" in Italian, the choice between "mezzo" and "mezza" depends on the gender of the noun that follows it.

 - If the hour is feminine (e.g., "l'una" for 1 o'clock), you use "mezza." For example: "Sono le due e mezza." (It's half past two.)

 - If the hour is masculine (e.g., "l'otto" for 8 o'clock), you use "mezzo." For example: "Sono le otto e mezzo." (It's half past eight.)
 

So, the gender of the noun representing the hour determines whether to use "mezzo" or "mezza."
 

I hope this helps! If you have any more questions or if there's anything else I can assist you with, feel free to ask. Buon apprendimento!