Il bar chiude alle quattro.

In Italian, nouns are often used with an article where English might leave it out. Il bar means the bar.

In a sentence like this, il helps identify the subject clearly:

• Il bar chiude = The bar closes

You can sometimes omit articles in certain contexts, but in a normal full sentence like this, il bar is the natural choice.

Yes. Bar is a normal Italian noun, borrowed from English long ago. In Italian, though, a bar often means more than just a place for alcoholic drinks: it can also be a café where people get coffee, pastries, snacks, and drinks.

It is masculine, so it takes:

• il bar = the bar
• un bar = a bar

Also, bar does not change in the plural:

• il bar
• i bar

Chiudere is the infinitive, meaning to close.
In a sentence, you usually need a conjugated form, not the infinitive.

Here, the subject is il bar, which is third person singular, so chiudere becomes:

• (il bar) chiude = (the bar) closes

A quick pattern:

• io chiudo = I close
• tu chiudi = you close
• lui/lei chiude = he/she closes
• il bar chiude = the bar closes

It can mean closes, and depending on context it may also be understood as is closing or shuts.

In this sentence, the most natural reading is a habitual or scheduled one:

• Il bar chiude alle quattro = The bar closes at four

Italian present tense often covers things that English expresses with the simple present for schedules:

• Il treno parte alle otto = The train leaves at eight

Because when telling time, Italian normally uses a + definite article:

• all’una = at one
• alle due = at two
• alle tre = at three
• alle quattro = at four

Here:

• a + le = alle

Since quattro refers to le quattro (the four o’clock hour), you say alle quattro.

Because Italian treats clock times with articles:

• l’una = one o’clock
• le due, le tre, le quattro, etc. = two, three, four o’clock

So:

• a + l’ = all’ → all’una
• a + le = alle → alle quattro

The singular is used only for one o’clock:

• all’una

For the other hours, Italian uses the plural:

• alle due
• alle quattro
• alle nove

Yes. In a sentence about opening or closing times, alle quattro is naturally understood as at four o’clock.

Italian often leaves out ore because it is obvious:

• alle quattro = at four / at four o’clock

If needed, you can be more explicit:

• alle quattro in punto = at exactly four o’clock
• alle quattro del pomeriggio = at four in the afternoon
• alle quattro di mattina = at four in the morning

By itself, alle quattro could mean either 4 a.m. or 4 p.m. Context usually makes it clear.

If the speaker wants to specify, Italian can say:

• alle quattro del mattino = at 4 in the morning
• alle quattro del pomeriggio = at 4 in the afternoon
• alle quattro di sera = at 4 in the evening (less common with 4, but possible depending on context)

So the sentence alone just says at four.

The normal, neutral order is:

• Il bar chiude alle quattro.

That is the most straightforward way to say it.

You could change the word order in some contexts, but it would sound marked or would need a special reason, such as contrast or emphasis. For example:

• Alle quattro chiude il bar. = At four, the bar closes.

That sounds more like you are emphasizing the time. For everyday use, stick with:

• Il bar chiude alle quattro.

Because chiude is a singular verb, and il bar is the noun phrase that matches it and makes sense as the thing doing the action.

So:

• Il bar = subject
• chiude = verb
• alle quattro = time expression

Literally:

• The bar closes at four

Italian does not rely only on word order, but here the structure is very straightforward.

Yes. Chiudere can be used both ways.

Transitive:

• Chiudo la porta. = I close the door.

Intransitive:

• Il negozio chiude alle sei. = The shop closes at six.

In Il bar chiude alle quattro, it is intransitive: the bar is not closing something else; rather, the bar itself closes.

That means something different.

• Il bar chiude alle quattro = The bar closes at four.
  This describes the closing time or the action of closing.

• Il bar è chiuso alle quattro = The bar is closed at four.
  This describes a state at that time.

So if you want to say the bar’s closing time is four o’clock, chiude is the correct choice.

Chiude is pronounced roughly like KYOO-deh.

A few useful points:

• chi in Italian sounds like kee
• u is a clear vowel, not like the English yoo exactly, but kyoo is a helpful approximation
• de sounds like deh

So:

• chiude ≈ KYOO-deh

Also:

• Il bar chiude alle quattro has smooth linking in speech, especially between chiude and alle.