Italian Phrase
Suona alle 7:30 di mattina.
Meaning
It indicates that something – a bell, an alarm clock, a church tower – makes its sound at 7:30 in the morning.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to tell someone the exact moment a sound is scheduled, such as the school bell, a train station announcement, or your personal alarm.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Suonaalle7:30dimattina
Suona (verb)
Third‑person singular present of *suonare* ‘to ring, to sound’. Used for clocks, bells, alarms, etc.
alle (preposition + article)
Contraction of *a* + *le*; used before a specific time to mean ‘at’. Always followed by a cardinal number.
7:30 → sette e trenta
When speaking the time, Italians say the hour followed by *e* and the minutes (or *mezzo* for 30).
di mattina / del mattino
Both mean ‘in the morning’. *di mattina* is more colloquial, *del mattino* a bit more formal.
🗨In Conversation
A che ora suona la sveglia?
What time does the alarm go off?
Suona alle 7:30 di mattina.
It rings at 7:30 in the morning.
✕Common Mistakes
Suona a le 7:30 di mattina.
The preposition *a* contracts with the article *le* to *alle*; *a le* is never used before a time.
Suona alle 7:30 di mattino.
While *del mattino* is correct, *di mattino* is the usual colloquial form; mixing the two (*di mattino*) can sound odd.
Suona alle 7:30 di mattina.
When stating minutes, insert *e* (and) or use *mezzo* for 30 minutes.
↔Alternatives
Suona alle sette e trenta del mattino.
It rings at seven thirty in the morning.
Suona alle sette e mezza del mattino.
It rings at half past seven in the morning.
Suona alle 7:30 del mattino.
It rings at 7:30 in the morning.
Cultural Tip
In Italy many public clocks (in churches, train stations, schools) strike on the hour or half‑hour. Native speakers often drop *di mattina* if the context already makes the time of day clear. When you need extra precision, *del mattino* sounds slightly more formal than *di mattina*.