Italian Phrase
Il mio volo è in ritardo?
Meaning
Literally, “Is my flight delayed?” The speaker is asking an airline employee or information desk whether the scheduled departure time of their flight has been pushed back.
When to use
Use this sentence at airports, check‑in counters, or when speaking with airline staff on the phone. It’s a polite, neutral way to inquire about the status of your flight.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ilmiovoloèinritardo?
Definite article (Il)
Il is the masculine singular definite article used before consonant sounds, matching the noun volo (flight).
Possessive adjective (mio)
Mio agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies (volo), so it stays masculine singular.
Verb essere (è)
È is the third‑person singular present of essere, used here to link the subject (il mio volo) with the predicate (in ritardo).
Prepositional phrase (in ritardo)
In ritardo literally means “in delay”; it is the standard way to say something is delayed.
Question intonation
In spoken Italian the rising intonation at the end signals a question; the written form adds a question mark.
🗨In Conversation
Scusi, il mio volo è in ritardo?
Excuse me, is my flight delayed?
Sì, è stato posticipato di un'ora.
Yes, it has been postponed by an hour.
✕Common Mistakes
Il mio volo è ritardato?
Using the adjective “ritardato” in a question sounds unnatural; Italians prefer the noun phrase “in ritardo.”
Il mio volo in ritardo?
Dropping the verb “è” makes the sentence incomplete.
Il mio volo è ritardo?
Missing the preposition “in” before “ritardo.”
↔Alternatives
Il mio volo è ritardato?
Is my flight delayed?
Il mio volo subirà un ritardo?
Will my flight be delayed?
Il mio volo ha un ritardo?
Does my flight have a delay?
Cultural Tip
It’s customary to start the request with a courtesy word such as “Scusi” or “Per favore” before the question. Italians appreciate a friendly tone, so a smile and a brief “Grazie” after receiving the answer are considered polite. Also, note that “ritardo” is a noun; the adjective form “ritardato” can be used in statements like “Il volo è ritardato,” but the idiomatic phrase for a question is “in ritardo.”