“Half” in Italian
“Half” in Italian is mezzo (feminine mezza) when it comes before a noun, and metà when it means a half portion of something. Say mezzo bicchiere (half a glass) and la metà della torta (half of the cake). For the time, “half past” is e mezza: Sono le tre e mezza (It’s half past three).
In Italian, we have different words to translate “half”. The most common one is the adjectivemezzo, although it can also be used as an adverb.
Remember that adjectives change in gender and number depending on the noun they refer to, while adverbs never change!
Another way we can say “half” in Italian is the noun metà. So let me show you different examples to understanding how to use these words correctly.
“Mezzo” in Italian
“Mezzo” as an Adjective
When mezzo is used as an adjective, it can be masculine, feminine, singular, or plural, depending on the noun it modifies. In this context, it refers to “half” of something specific.
Per colazione bevo mezzo bicchiere di latte.
For breakfast I drink half a glass of milk.
Se vuoi, è rimasta mezza banana in frigo.
If you want, there’s half a banana left in the fridge.
In these examples, the word mezzo is an adjective that modifies the noun it describes, meaning “half of” something specific.
“Mezzo” as an Adverb
For me, a very interesting use of mezzo in Italian is its function as an adverb. In this case, it describes an action or state as being partial or incomplete. It can be translated into English as “half”, “partially”, or “kind of”.
Sono mezzo addormentato.
I’m half asleep.
Era mezzo ubriaco.
He was half drunk.
Non ce ne è molto. È mezzo finito.
There isn’t much left. It’s half finished.
When used as an adverb, mezzo does not change to agree in gender or number. Also, remember that adverbs are used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
“Metà” in Italian
When referring to “half” as a portion or fraction more generally, in Italian we use la metà. This expression is always feminine and does not change, regardless of the noun it refers to. It’s the equivalent of saying “half” in a non-specific sense.
La torta era buonissima. Ne ho mangiata la metà.
The cake was delicious. I ate half of it.
Abbiamo finito metà libro.
We finished half the book.
Mezzo or Metà?
The two words are not interchangeable. Use mezzo directly before a noun, like an adjective, and metà as a noun with an article or a preposition:
| Use | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| half + noun | mezzo / mezza / mezzi / mezze | mezzo chilo (half a kilo), mezza pizza (half a pizza) |
| half of something (a portion) | la metà (+ di) | la metà del libro (half of the book) |
| half + adjective | mezzo | mezzo vuoto (half empty) |
| half past | e mezza / e mezzo | le due e mezza (half past two) |
| halfway, in the middle | a metà | a metà strada (halfway there) |
Ho mangiato mezza torta.
I ate half a cake.
Ho mangiato la metà della torta.
I ate half of the cake.
Do not say Ho mangiato mezzo la torta or la mezza della torta. Choose one structure: mezza torta or la metà della torta.
Common Expressions Using “Half”
In Italian we have many idiomatic expressions that involve the concept of “half”, which often use either mezzo or la metà depending on the context:
A metà prezzo
At half price
A metà strada
Halfway there
A metà pomeriggio
In the middle of the afternoon
Mezz’ora
Half an hour
Mezza verità
Half-truth
Fare le cose a metà
To do things halfway
Half Past the Hour and Other Times
To tell the time, add e mezza (or e mezzo) to the hour. Two special times use mezzo inside a compound word. To learn more, read the lesson on telling the time in Italian.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Sono le tre e mezza. | It’s half past three. |
| Sono le dieci e mezza. | It’s half past ten. |
| mezzogiorno | noon (literally: half day) |
| mezzanotte | midnight (literally: half night) |
| mezz’ora | half an hour |
Half a Kilo, Half a Dozen: Quantities
Use mezzo before the unit of measure, and e mezzo after a number to say “and a half”:
Vorrei mezzo chilo di pane, per favore.
I’d like half a kilo of bread, please.
Ho comprato mezzo litro di latte.
I bought half a litre of milk.
Ci vuole una mezza dozzina di uova.
You need half a dozen eggs.
Ho aspettato due ore e mezza.
I waited two and a half hours.
Half-Italian, Half-Brother and Other Uses
To say you are half Italian, use mezzo or mezza according to your gender:
Sono mezzo italiano e mezzo spagnolo.
I’m half Italian and half Spanish. (man)
Sono mezza italiana e mezza spagnola.
I’m half Italian and half Spanish. (woman)
Ho origini italiane da parte di madre.
I have Italian roots on my mother’s side.
When mezzo works as an adverb, as in mezzo addormentato, the invariable form is the standard one, but in everyday speech you will often hear it agree too: Sono mezza addormentata. Both are common.
Half-siblings have their own words: fratellastro (half-brother, also stepbrother) and sorellastra (half-sister, also stepsister). To learn other family words, read my family in Italian.
Do not confuse the adjective mezzo with the noun il mezzo, which means “the means” or “the vehicle”: mezzi pubblici (public transport).
Practice: Mezzo or Metà?
Complete with mezzo, mezza or metà:
- Vorrei ___ litro d’acqua.
- Ho letto la ___ del libro.
- Sono le sette e ___.
- Ho mangiato ___ pizza.
- Il bicchiere è ___ vuoto.
- Abbiamo finito a ___ strada.
Answers: 1. mezzo, 2. metà, 3. mezza, 4. mezza, 5. mezzo, 6. metà.
Half in Italian: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say “half” in Italian?
Use mezzo (mezza) before a noun, as in mezza mela (half an apple), and metà for a portion, as in la metà della mela (half of the apple).
What is the difference between mezzo and metà?
Mezzo is an adjective and agrees with the noun. Metà is a feminine noun that never changes.
How do you say “half past” in Italian?
Add e mezza to the hour: le quattro e mezza is half past four.
How do you say “half Italian” in Italian?
Say Sono mezzo italiano if you are a man and Sono mezza italiana if you are a woman.
