Io termino il lavoro alle cinque.

I finish the work at five.

Breakdown of Io termino il lavoro alle cinque.

• io: I
• cinque: five
• il lavoro: the work
• alle: at
• terminare: to finish

Questions & Answers about Io termino il lavoro alle cinque.

Why is the subject pronoun io used here? Is it necessary?

In Italian the verb ending usually tells you who is doing the action, so the pronoun is often dropped.
• Without io you can simply say Termino il lavoro alle cinque.
• You include io for emphasis, contrast (e.g. “Io termino alle cinque, tu finisci prima?”) or clarity in spoken language.

What tense is termino and what does it mean?

Termino is the first-person singular present indicative of terminare.
• It literally means “I finish.”
• Italians often use the present tense to describe scheduled or habitual actions, so it can also convey “I will finish (as planned) at five.”

Why is there il before lavoro? Could I say finisco lavoro?

In Italian most singular, countable nouns need a definite article.
• Il lavoro = “the work” or “the job.”
• Omitting il (“finisco lavoro”) sounds incorrect—always use il lavoro in this context.

Can I use a different verb instead of terminare?

Yes. The most common alternative is finire:
• Finisco il lavoro alle cinque.
Both verbs mean “to finish,” but finire is more frequent in everyday conversation.

Why is it alle cinque instead of a cinque?

Because cinque (hour) is feminine plural—le cinque.
• The preposition a (“at”) combines with le to form alle.
• So alle cinque = a + le cinque.

Could I use the future tense: terminerò il lavoro alle cinque?

Absolutely.
• Terminerò il lavoro alle cinque means “I will finish the work at five.”
• Using present tense (termino) simply sounds more immediate or neutral for scheduled events.

Why not use the present continuous like “sto terminando il lavoro alle cinque”?

• Sto terminando il lavoro means you are in the process of finishing right now.
• Termino il lavoro alle cinque indicates when the action will be completed (habitual or planned), not that it’s ongoing at this moment.

Can I say termino di lavorare alle cinque instead?

Yes. When you use terminare with an infinitive you add di:
• Termino di lavorare alle cinque.
• It’s equivalent in meaning: “I finish working at five.”

Why isn’t termino lavoro acceptable without “il”?

Italian typically requires the definite article with singular countable nouns.
• Omit il only in very abstract or idiomatic contexts, not here.

Is the time expression alle cinque fixed at the end, or can it move?

Time phrases are flexible:
• You can start with it: Alle cinque termino il lavoro.
• Or end with it: Termino il lavoro alle cinque.
Both are equally correct; choice depends on emphasis.