Italian Phrase
È a circa 10 miglia.
Meaning
It means ‘It is about ten miles (away).’ The phrase is used to give an approximate distance from the speaker’s current location to a place that has just been mentioned.
When to use
Use this sentence when you need to tell someone roughly how far a destination is, especially in travel, directions, or casual conversation about distances.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Èacirca10miglia
È (essere)
Third‑person singular of the verb *essere* used to state existence, identity, or distance.
a (preposition)
Used after *essere* to indicate distance from a reference point (e.g., *È a 5 km*).
circa (adverb)
Means ‘about, roughly’; placed before the number to show an approximation.
10 (cardinal number)
In spoken Italian the numeral is said as *dieci*; it agrees with the noun that follows.
miglia (noun, plural)
Plural of *miglio* (mile). In Italy the metric system is standard, so *miglia* appears mainly in contexts involving English‑speaking tourists.
🗨In Conversation
Quanto è lontano il parco?
How far is the park?
È a circa 10 miglia.
It’s about ten miles away.
✕Common Mistakes
È in circa 10 miglia.
The preposition after *essere* for distance is *a*, not *in*.
È a 10 circa miglia.
The adverb *circa* must come before the number, not after it.
È a circa 10 dieci miglia.
When writing the numeral, use the digit *10* or the word *dieci*; mixing the two (*10 dieci*) is incorrect.
↔Alternatives
È a circa 10 miglia di distanza.
It’s about ten miles away.
È a più o meno 10 miglia.
It’s roughly ten miles.
È a circa 16 chilometri.
It’s about 16 kilometres.
Cultural Tip
Italy uses the metric system, so native speakers usually say *È a circa 16 chilometri* instead of miles. You’ll hear *miglia* mainly when talking to English‑speaking tourists or when translating English‑language maps. The preposition *a* is essential; dropping it (*È circa 10 miglia*) sounds informal but still understandable.