Ho un appuntamento pomeridiano con il medico, quindi torno presto.

I have an afternoon appointment with the doctor, so I come back early.

Breakdown of Ho un appuntamento pomeridiano con il medico, quindi torno presto.

• io: I
• avere: to have
• con: with
• tornare: to return
• quindi: so
• l'appuntamento: the appointment
• il medico: the doctor
• presto: early

Questions & Answers about Ho un appuntamento pomeridiano con il medico, quindi torno presto.

What does pomeridiano mean in this sentence?

Pomeridiano is an adjective that means “afternoon.” It specifies that the appointment is scheduled for the afternoon.

What is the role of the conjunction quindi in the sentence?

Quindi translates as “so” or “therefore.” It links the two parts of the sentence to show that, because of the appointment, the speaker will return soon.

Why is the verb torno in the present tense even though it refers to a future action?

In Italian, the present tense is often used to indicate near-future actions when the context makes the timing clear. In this case, torno presto means “I’ll be back soon” without needing to switch to a future tense.

Why isn’t the subject pronoun io explicitly stated in the sentence?

Italian typically omits subject pronouns because the verb conjugations already indicate the subject. Both ho and torno clearly imply “I,” making io unnecessary.

How is the phrase con il medico structured and why is the article il used?

Con il medico literally means “with the doctor.” The definite article il is used because, in Italian, professions or roles like “doctor” are often preceded by a definite article even when referring to someone familiar or specific.

Are there alternative ways to say “afternoon appointment” in Italian?

Yes, you could also say un appuntamento del pomeriggio. Both expressions are correct, though appuntamento pomeridiano uses an adjective to directly describe the time of day.