Learning how to talk about days and months is essential for everyday conversations in Italian. Whether you want to make plans, talk about your birthday, or simply know what day it is, mastering these basics will boost your confidence and help you communicate better. This post is designed especially for A1 learners to get familiar with the Italian calendar vocabulary and simple ways to use it.
The Days of the Week (I giorni della settimana)
In Italian, the week starts on Monday (lunedì). Unlike English, the days of the week are not capitalized in Italian unless they begin a sentence. All days except Sunday (domenica) are masculine, so when you talk about recurring events, you use the definite article il before the day (e.g., il venerdì means “on Fridays”). For Sunday, which is feminine, you use la domenica.
Here are the days of the week in Italian with their English equivalents:
- lunedì – Monday
- martedì – Tuesday
- mercoledì – Wednesday
- giovedì – Thursday
- venerdì – Friday
- sabato – Saturday
- domenica – Sunday
For example:
Il lunedì lavoro ma il martedì ho la giornata libera.
Monday, I work, but Tuesday I have the day off.
How to say what day it is:
- Che giorno è oggi? — What day is it today?
- Oggi è lunedì. — Today is Monday.
Talking about recurring events:
- Il venerdì vado in palestra. — I go to the gym on Fridays.
- La domenica mangiamo in famiglia. — On Sundays we eat with family.
Note: To talk about a recurring event, use the present tense.
The Months of the Year (I mesi dell’anno)
Months in Italian are also not capitalized and are all masculine. Here is the list of months with their English translations:
- gennaio – January
- febbraio – February
- marzo – March
- aprile – April
- maggio – May
- giugno – June
- luglio – July
- agosto – August
- settembre – September
- ottobre – October
- novembre – November
- dicembre – December
How to say your birthday or talk about months:
- Il mio compleanno è a maggio. — My birthday is in May.
- Viaggiamo sempre in agosto. — We always travel in August.
Use the prepositions a or in before the month depending on the sentence. For example, a maggio (in May) or in aprile (in April).
Bonus: Talking About Seasons (Le stagioni)
Knowing the seasons can also help you talk about time and weather.
- primavera – spring (feminine)
- estate – summer (feminine)
- autunno – autumn/fall (masculine)
- inverno – winter (masculine)
Example sentences:
- In primavera il tempo è bello. — The weather is nice in spring.
- Non viaggio mai d’inverno. — I never travel in winter.
Practice Tips
- Try saying what day it is every day in Italian.
- Write down your birthday month and practice saying it aloud.
- Use simple sentences to talk about what you do on certain days or in certain months.
- Listen to Italian audio or songs that mention days or months to get familiar with pronunciation.
- Join a course which prioritises speaking to help you practice and rememebering vocabulary
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