Italian Phrase
Il padrone di casa ha un'ora precisa per restituirlo.
Meaning
The landlord has a specific hour at which he/she must return the item (often a key, deposit, or borrowed object). The phrase stresses that the time is exact, not just an approximate period.
When to use
Use this sentence when you need to tell someone that the owner of a house has set a precise deadline for giving something back, for example during a rental hand‑over or when discussing the return of a security deposit.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ilpadronedicasahaun'oraprecisaperrestituirlo
Il padrone di casa
A set phrase meaning ‘the landlord’ or ‘the owner of the house’; it is used as a noun phrase without article changes.
un'ora (contraction)
‘Una ora’ contracts to ‘un’ora’ because the vowel at the start of ‘ora’ elides the final ‘a’ of ‘una’.
per + infinitive
The preposition *per* followed by an infinitive expresses purpose or a deadline: ‘to return it’.
Clitic pronoun on infinitive
When an infinitive is preceded by a preposition, the object pronoun attaches directly to the infinitive (restituir**lo**).
Adjective agreement
The adjective *precisa* agrees in gender and number with *ora* (feminine singular).
🗨In Conversation
Quando ci restituirà il proprietario la chiave?
When will the landlord give us the key back?
Il padrone di casa ha un'ora precisa per restituirlo.
The landlord has a specific hour to return it.
✕Common Mistakes
Il padrone di casa ha un ora precisa per restituirlo.
The article *una* contracts with the vowel‑initial noun *ora*, becoming *un'ora*.
Il padrone di casa ha un'ora precisa per restituir lo.
When the infinitive follows a preposition, the object pronoun attaches directly to the verb (restituir**lo**).
Il padrone di casa ha un'ora preciso per restituirlo.
The adjective must agree with the feminine noun *ora*, so it is *precisa*.
↔Alternatives
Il proprietario ha un orario preciso per restituirlo.
The owner has a precise schedule to return it.
Il padrone di casa ha un orario stabilito per restituirlo.
The landlord has a set time to return it.
Il padrone di casa deve restituirlo entro un'ora precisa.
The landlord must return it within a precise hour.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, landlords often set exact times for returning deposits, keys, or other items to avoid misunderstandings. Using a precise expression like *un'ora precisa* sounds formal and respectful, especially in written communication or when dealing with official matters.