Italian Phrase
La musica inizia tra poco.
Meaning
Literally, “The music starts in a short time.” It is used to tell listeners that a performance, broadcast, or any musical piece is about to begin. The phrase conveys a sense of anticipation and is neutral in register.
When to use
Use this sentence right before a concert, a DJ set, a radio program, or even when you’re about to start playing a song for friends. It works in both formal (e.g., a theater announcement) and informal (e.g., a party host) settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Lamusicainiziatrapoco
Definite article + feminine noun
‘La’ agrees with the feminine singular noun ‘musica’; Italian articles must match gender and number.
Present tense – 3rd person singular
‘Inizia’ is the present indicative of ‘iniziare’ for ‘he/she/it starts’; it’s used for scheduled or imminent actions.
Prepositional phrase ‘tra poco’
‘Tra’ + noun expresses a short future interval, equivalent to ‘in a short time’ or ‘soon’.
🗨In Conversation
La musica inizia tra poco, preparatevi!
The music will start soon, get ready!
Perfetto, accendo le luci.
Great, I’ll turn on the lights.
✕Common Mistakes
La musica iniziare tra poco.
‘Iniziare’ is the infinitive; you need the third‑person singular present ‘inizia’ for “the music starts”.
La musica inizia presto.
‘Presto’ can mean ‘quickly’ or ‘soon’, but in this fixed expression Italians prefer ‘tra poco’.
Il musico inizia tra poco.
‘Musico’ means ‘musician’; the noun for music is ‘musica’.
↔Alternatives
La musica comincerà tra poco.
The music will begin shortly.
La musica sta per iniziare.
The music is about to start.
In pochi minuti parte la musica.
In a few minutes the music starts.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, announcements before a concert or a live broadcast are often delivered with a warm, inviting tone. If you’re speaking in a formal venue (opera house, theater), you might add a polite address like “Signore e signori”. In casual settings, a simple “Ragazzi, la musica inizia tra poco!” feels natural. Remember that “tra poco” is more common than “presto” when referring to an imminent event.