Italian Phrase
Ci vogliono circa dieci minuti a piedi.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘It takes about ten minutes on foot.’ It is an impersonal way to talk about the time needed to walk somewhere.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to give a rough estimate of walking time, for example when giving directions, planning a meeting, or answering a travel‑related question.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Civoglionocircadieciminutiapiedi
Ci (dummy pronoun)
Used with impersonal verbs to mean 'it' or 'there' in expressions of time, distance, etc.
Vogliono (impersonal volere)
Third‑person plural of *volere* used impersonally to indicate how much time or effort something requires.
Circa (approximation)
Means ‘about, roughly’; placed before the quantity it modifies.
Dieci minuti (plural agreement)
The noun *minuti* is plural, so the verb *vogliono* must also be plural.
A piedi (prepositional phrase)
Literally ‘by foot’; used to specify that the action is done walking.
🗨In Conversation
Quanto tempo ci vuole a piedi per arrivare al museo?
How long does it take on foot to get to the museum?
Ci vogliono circa dieci minuti a piedi.
It takes about ten minutes on foot.
✕Common Mistakes
Ci vuole circa dieci minuti a piedi.
The verb must agree with the plural noun *minuti*; use *vogliono* instead of *vuole*.
Ci vogliono circa dieci minuti in piedi.
Use *a piedi* for ‘on foot’; *in piedi* means ‘standing’.
Circa dieci minuti a piedi ci vogliono.
Word order is flexible, but the standard placement is *Ci vogliono circa dieci minuti a piedi*.
↔Alternatives
Ci mettiamo circa dieci minuti a piedi.
We take about ten minutes on foot.
Ci vogliono più o meno dieci minuti a piedi.
It takes roughly ten minutes on foot.
Ci vogliono dieci minuti a piedi.
It takes ten minutes on foot.
Cultural Tip
In everyday Italian, the impersonal construction *ci vogliono* is the go‑to way to talk about how long something takes. When you’re walking in Italian cities, locals often give estimates in minutes rather than exact distances, so mastering this phrase helps you sound natural and understand local directions.