Italian Phrase
Mancano venticinque all'una.
Meaning
The sentence tells you that there are twenty‑five minutes left before the clock strikes one o’clock. It is a common way to give the current time in a conversational, informal setting.
When to use
Use this expression when you want to tell someone the time by counting down to the next hour, especially in casual conversation, on the radio, or when checking a schedule.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mancanoventicinqueall'una
Mancare (time)
When talking about how many minutes are left before the next hour, Italian uses the verb 'mancare' in the third‑person plural, e.g., 'Mancano dieci minuti alle tre.'
all' + article
The preposition 'a' (to) contracts with the definite article 'la' to form 'all'' before a vowel, so 'all'una' = 'a' + 'l' + 'una' (to the one).
Number agreement
The number of minutes (venticinque) stays in its cardinal form; the verb 'mancare' agrees with the implied plural subject 'minuti' even though the word 'minuti' is omitted.
🗨In Conversation
Che ore sono?
What time is it?
Mancano venticinque all'una.
It's twenty‑five minutes to one.
✕Common Mistakes
Manca venticinque all'una.
The verb must be plural 'mancano' because the implied subject is 'minuti' (minutes).
Mancano venticinque all' una.
Do not insert a space after the apostrophe; 'all'una' is a single contracted word.
Mancano venti cinque all'una.
Numbers from 21 to 99 are written as one word in Italian (venticinque).
↔Alternatives
Mancano venticinque minuti all'una.
There are twenty‑five minutes to one.
Sono le dodici e trentacinque.
It's 12:35.
Mancano venticinque minuti prima dell'una.
There are twenty‑five minutes before one.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, especially in the north, people often use the 'mancare' construction to give the time in a countdown format. It sounds natural in everyday speech but is less common in formal written Italian, where you would state the exact hour and minutes (e.g., 'Sono le 12:35').