Learn Italian: A che ora dobbiamo chiamare il medico? - What time do we have to call the doctor?

A che ora dobbiamo chiamare il medico?

What time do we have to call the doctor?

Breakdown of A che ora dobbiamo chiamare il medico?

Questions & Answers about A che ora dobbiamo chiamare il medico?

Why is chiamare in its full dictionary form instead of being conjugated?

Because it follows the modal verb dobbiamo (we have to). When you combine a modal verb with an action verb, the second verb always stays in its infinitive (dictionary) form, ending in -are, -ere, or -ire.

Why is there an A at the beginning of the sentence?

In English, we often just ask 'What time...?', but in Italian, you must literally ask 'At what time...?' which translates to A che ora...?.

Where is the word for 'do' in the Italian question?

Italian doesn't use helping words like 'do' or 'does' to make questions. You simply use the standard verb dobbiamo (we have to) and raise your tone of voice at the end of the sentence to show it is a question.

Could I use dottore instead of medico here?

Yes! Both medico and dottore are used for medical doctors and are interchangeable here. Just keep in mind that dottore is also a general title for anyone with a university degree in Italy, while medico strictly means a medical professional.