Italian Phrase
Il colloquio telefonico dura 15 minuti.
Meaning
This sentence tells the listener that a telephone interview will last exactly fifteen minutes. It is a factual statement about the length of a professional call.
When to use
Use this phrase when scheduling or confirming a job interview over the phone, when informing a colleague about the expected duration, or when describing a past interview in a résumé or report.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ilcolloquiotelefonicodura15minuti
Definite article (Il)
Il is the masculine singular definite article used before nouns that begin with a consonant.
Noun phrase (colloquio telefonico)
Colloquio = interview; telefonico = telephone (adjective). Together they form a compound noun meaning 'phone interview'.
Verb durare (dura)
Durare means 'to last'. It is conjugated in the third‑person singular present because the subject is 'il colloquio'.
Cardinal number + plural noun (15 minuti)
When a number greater than one modifies a noun, the noun takes the plural form (minuti).
🗨In Conversation
Il colloquio telefonico dura 15 minuti.
The phone interview lasts 15 minutes.
Perfetto, mi organizzo di conseguenza.
Perfect, I’ll plan accordingly.
✕Common Mistakes
Il colloquio telefonico è 15 minuti.
Use the verb durare, not essere, to talk about how long something lasts.
Il colloquio telefonico dura 15 minuto.
Numbers greater than one require the plural noun.
Il colloquio telefonica dura 15 minuti.
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the noun; here it stays masculine singular.
↔Alternatives
Il colloquio al telefono dura quindici minuti.
The phone interview lasts fifteen minutes.
La chiamata di lavoro dura 15 minuti.
The work call lasts 15 minutes.
Il nostro colloquio telefonico sarà di 15 minuti.
Our phone interview will be 15 minutes long.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, business phone interviews are usually concise, often lasting between 10 and 20 minutes. Being punctual and respecting the announced duration shows professionalism. If you need more time, it’s polite to ask for an extension before the call starts.