Learn Hardcore Italian: Ci vediamo al bar alle otto. - We’ll see each other at the bar at eight.

It’s the reciprocal pronoun meaning each other. Ci vediamo literally means we see each other. It’s not the locative ci (there) in this sentence.

Why is the present tense used for a future arrangement?

Italian often uses the present to talk about near-future plans, especially scheduled ones. Ci vediamo… comfortably means a plan. You can also say Ci vedremo… (future), which can sound a touch more formal or distant, but both are fine.

What’s the difference between Ci vediamo and Vediamoci?

Ci vediamo… states or confirms an arrangement: We’re meeting…
Vediamoci… is a first-person plural imperative: Let’s meet… Both are common; Vediamoci feels slightly more like a proposal.

Why al bar and not nel bar or in bar?

al bar = at the café/bar (default for meeting places).
nel bar = inside the bar (emphasizes the interior), used only if that contrast matters.
in bar is incorrect. For an unspecified place, you’d say in un bar (in a bar).

What exactly is al?

It’s the articulated preposition a + il. Italian often merges prepositions with articles: a + il = al. Here, bar is masculine singular, so al bar.

Why alle otto and not a otto?

Times take an articulated preposition because the underlying phrase is le ore otto. So a + le (ore) becomes alle (otto). Special case: 1 o’clock is all’una.

How do I specify 8 a.m. vs 8 p.m.?

8 a.m.: alle otto di mattina (or del mattino)
8 p.m.: alle otto di sera You can also use the 24‑hour clock: alle venti for 8 p.m.

Can I write the time with numerals?

Yes: alle 8 is very common in messages. Spelling it out (alle otto) is also fine, especially in more formal writing.

Is the word order flexible? al bar alle otto vs alle otto al bar

Both are correct. Italian allows both place–time and time–place. Put what you want to highlight closer to the end.

Does bar in Italian mean the same as an English bar? What’s the plural?

Italian bar is closer to a café: coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and also alcohol. A pub is usually pub. The plural is invariable: un bar / due bar, il bar / i bar.

Can I say Noi ci vediamo…?

It’s grammatical, but Italians usually drop subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the subject. Use Noi only for emphasis or contrast.

Can I omit ci and just say Vediamo al bar alle otto?

No. Without ci, vediamo either needs an object (we see something) or stands alone as Vediamo meaning Let’s see/We’ll see. To mean meet each other, keep ci: Ci vediamo…. Alternatives: Ci incontriamo…, Ci troviamo…. Impersonal: Ci si vede….

Is ci ever the meaning there in this sentence?

Not here. It’s reciprocal. To say there, use an adverb like lì/là: Ci vediamo lì alle otto. In that sentence, ci still means each other; lì supplies there.

Is Ci vediamo okay in formal contexts, or should I say something else?

Ci vediamo… is neutral and fine with anyone. If you want to sound explicitly formal to one person, you can say La vedo al bar alle otto (I’ll see you at the bar at eight), using formal La.

How can I make the time less exact or more exact?

Approximate: verso le otto, intorno alle otto, poco dopo le otto, poco prima delle otto
Exact: alle otto in punto