At 15 minutes before or after the hour, quarto ("a fourth") is commonly used instead of quindici ("fifteen"). Likewise, at 30 minutes after an hour, mezza ("half") is commonly used instead of trenta ("thirty"). Mezza is never used with meno.

To indicate A.M., add di mattina to the hour; to indicate P.M., add del pomeriggio (12 P.M. to 5 P.M.), di sera (5 P.M. to midnight), or di notte (midnight to early morning) to the hour.