Veniamo alle otto, cioè un po’ prima dell’inizio.

we

Breakdown of Veniamo alle otto, cioè un po’ prima dell’inizio.

• prima di: before
• venire: to come
• un po’: a bit

Questions & Answers about Veniamo alle otto, cioè un po’ prima dell’inizio.

Why is the present tense veniamo used to talk about the future?

Italian often uses the simple present for scheduled or near-future actions. So Veniamo alle otto naturally means “We’ll come at eight.” You can also use the future, Verremo alle otto, but the present is very common in speech for fixed plans.

Could I say Arriviamo alle otto instead of Veniamo alle otto?

Yes. Venire means “to come (toward where the listener is),” while arrivare is “to arrive” (neutral). If you’re talking to someone at the destination, veniamo subtly highlights you’re coming to them; arriviamo is fully acceptable and slightly more neutral.

Why is it alle otto and not “a otto”?

Times take the definite article because ore (hours) is implicit and feminine plural: le otto. The preposition and article contract: a + le = alle. Examples: alle tre, all’una (a + la → alla; but before a vowel la elides: all’), a mezzogiorno, a mezzanotte.

What does cioè add here?