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L'udienza inizierà in ritardo oggi.

L'udienza inizierà in ritardo oggi.
The hearing will start late today.
From Lesson 421:Impersonal passive with indirect objects·Italian

Questions & Answers about L'udienza inizierà in ritardo oggi.

Why is in ritardo used for 'late' here instead of tardi?
In ritardo specifically means 'delayed' or 'behind schedule.' Tardi usually refers to lateness in an absolute sense, such as late in the day or night (e.g., è troppo tardi). Because the hearing has a set schedule and is delayed, in ritardo is the correct choice.
If this sentence were in the past tense ('The hearing started late'), which auxiliary verb would iniziare use?
It would use essere, making it l'udienza è iniziata in ritardo. Iniziare changes its auxiliary depending on how it is used. When it takes a direct object (e.g., 'He started the car'), it uses avere. When the subject is the thing that is starting, as in this sentence, it acts intransitively and uses essere. This also means the past participle must agree with the feminine singular subject.
Does udienza mean 'audience' in the sense of a crowd watching a show?
No, udienza is a false friend in that context. It refers to a formal 'hearing' in a courtroom or a formal meeting with an important figure, like an audience with a monarch. To talk about the crowd watching a performance or reading a publication, you should use il pubblico.

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