Il colloquio dura venti minuti.

The interview lasts twenty minutes.

Breakdown of Il colloquio dura venti minuti.

• il minuto: the minute
• venti: twenty
• durare: to last
• il colloquio: the interview

Questions & Answers about Il colloquio dura venti minuti.

What does dura mean, and how does durare function in this sentence?

Durare is an intransitive verb meaning “to last.” Here, dura is the third-person singular present (“it lasts”). The phrase venti minuti follows directly as a temporal complement indicating how long something lasts, without any preposition or article.

Do I need a preposition like per before venti minuti?

No. When you use durare to express duration, you simply say dura venti minuti. Adding per (“dura per venti minuti”) is possible in casual speech but is not necessary in standard Italian.

Why isn’t there an article before venti minuti, for example i venti minuti?

Time complements that express duration omit the definite article. You wouldn’t say dura i venti minuti; you just say dura venti minuti.

Can I rephrase this idea in another way?

Yes. Common alternatives are:
• Il colloquio è di venti minuti
• La durata del colloquio è venti minuti
• Il colloquio dura per venti minuti
All convey the same scheduled length.

Why is colloquio masculine, and does it always take il?

Colloquio is a masculine noun ending in –o, so you use il in the singular (il colloquio) and i in the plural (i colloqui). It refers to a formal meeting or interview.

Could I use a different noun instead of colloquio?

Yes. Depending on context, you might say incontro (meeting) or intervista (interview). Note that intervista is feminine and often implies a media interview, while colloquio emphasizes a formal or evaluative discussion (e.g., a job interview).

How do I pronounce colloquio?

Phonetically it’s [kol-LO-kwi-o]. The double l is held slightly longer than a single l, and the stress falls on the second syllable.

Can I use the progressive form sta durando instead of dura?

You can say Il colloquio sta durando venti minuti if you’re describing an interview that is happening right now and you want to emphasize its ongoing nature. But to state its scheduled or habitual length, the simple present dura venti minuti is preferred.