Learning the Days of the Week, the Months and the Seasons in Italian

If you're beginning to speak Italian then it's important to learn the names and words associated with the days of the week, months of the year and the ever-changing seasons. Not only will these words help when telling time and planning ahead with newfound friends, but they'll also help you to describe the weather.

The Days of the Week

Monday = lunedì

Tuesday = martedì

Wednesday = mercoledì

Thursday = giovedì

Friday = venerdì

Saturday = sabato

Sunday = domenica

Take note that in Italian "dì" makes a "dee" sound. So, for example, lunedi is roughly pronounced as loon-eh-dee.

The above names were all derived from Roman deities and every day is associated to a body in the solar system:

lunedì = Luna = Moon

martedì = Marte = Mars

mercoledì = Mercurius = Mercury

giovedì = Giove = Jupiter

venerdì = Venere = Venus

sabato = Saturno = Saturn

domenica = Sole = Sun

Also, it's important to note that unlike in English the days of the week in Italian are not capitalized. Here are some examples of the days of the week in sentences: 

Sarò di ritorno a casa lunedì = I'll be back home Monday

Non lavoro fino al prossimo martedì = I don't work until next Tuesday

Mercoledì, quando ci siamo viste, hai dimenticato il tuo portafoglio = Wednesday, when we saw each other, you forgot your wallet.

Andiamo al cinema giovedì = Thursday we are going to the movies.

Che giorno è oggi? Oggi è venerdì = What day is it today? Today is Friday

Di rado lavoro sabato = I seldom work on Saturday

Da domenica io sono libero = As of Sunday I'm free

Oggi è venerdì = Today is Friday

Notice that if you add the day of the week at the end of the sentence you can then add the preposition "di".

Io posso vedere Mario solo di sabato = I can only see Mario ON Sunday

Le scuole sono chiuse di domenica = The schools are closed ON Sundays

To indicate habitual days we can use a definite article in a singular form:

Il lunedì vado al cinema = On Monday I go to the cinema

La domenica incontro i miei amici = On Sunday I meet my friends

Il prossimo sabato vado al ristorante = On next Saturday I'll go to the restaurant

Tutti i sabati vedo Carlo = All Saturdays I see Carlo

The Months of the Year 

Like the days in Italian the names of the months also have Roman origins. For example, gennaio (January) comes from Janus who supports the beginning of all events, febbraio (February) comes from the latin "februare" which means purification, held in honor of the roman goddess Febris and marzo (March) derives from the Roman god Marte, the god of war, as most wars in the ancient world began in March with the spring thaw. Aprile is thought to come either from the Greek goddess Aphrodite, to whom April was dedicated, or from Latin "aperire," which means to open (because April is the month that flowers bloom). Maggio (May) comes from the name of Maia, Roman goddess of the Earth and in Christian culture May is the month of the Madonna (Virgin Mary). Giugno (June) derives from Giunone, the wife of Jupiter, while luglio (July) was named in honor of Julius Caesar who was a Cancerian, born on the 13th of July. Agosto (or August) was named after another great Roman, Julius Caesar's heir and the first Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus. Settembre (September) and Ottobre (October) come from the Latin words for seven and eight as they were the seventh and eighth months in the Roman calendar, respectively. Similarly, novembre and dicembre come from the Latin words for nine and ten. When written, the months in Italian are only capitalized if they're the first word of a sentence. 

IN, A prepositions + month = indicates an event taking place within that month

In luglio partiremo per l'Italia = In July we shall leave for Italy

A dicembre cambierò casa = In December I'll change house.

I corsi iniziano in ottobre = Classes begin in October

Noi andremo a Roma in settembre = We are going to Rome in September

In nord America la primavera inizia in marzo = In North America spring begins in March

Seasons

Primavera - Spring is a gorgeous time to visit Italy. Not only do you miss out on the stifling heat of the summer, but you get to enjoy the trees and flowers blooming and visit sites with less of a tourist crush. Festivals, concerts and processions are very common at this time of year. Toward the end of spring temperatures can get quite warm and you can enjoy outdoor dining, strolling, biking or jogging. 

Estate - Summer is the hottest time of the year in Italy, which offers a wide range of sites where you can enjoy this season. Sardinia, Sicily and Calabria are just some of the places that offer gorgeous beaches. Temperatures at this time can rise above 100 degrees celsius so locals often escape the cities to vacation by the sea or near the mountains. August (ferragosto) is the traditional month for Italians to take vacation.

Autunno - Like spring, the fall is a perfect time to visit Italy. Not only will you enjoy cooler temperatures and less crowds, but the prices will also be cheaper. Enjoy traditional tourist destinations like museums or participate in one of the many festivals held in towns across Italy in the fall. Italian Food festivals (sagre) are very popular and common during this period of the year. Some fall festivals:

• Turin Food Festival, October 21-25
• Pumpkin Festival (Festival della Zucca)
• Festival dell'Aglio (Garlic Festival)
• Tortellini Day in Ferrara (October)
• Sagra del Tartufo Truffle Festival (October)

Just last week at one of these festivals in Langa, Piedmont a truffle was auctioned off to the tune of 100,000 euros. Altogether 250,000 euros worth of truffles were sold. Autumn in Italy is also celebrated by a flower exhibition in Parma, to celebrate harvest time and the fruits of the fall.

This fall one of the areas offering autumn discounts is Siena where Tuscan accommodation, farmhouse stays and Bed and Breakfasts are available for great rates.

Inverno - Most people think of Italy as a summer vacation spot only and that couldn't be farther from the truth. Italy offers beautiful scenery throughout the winter and also boasts great skiing and winter sports for outdoor enthusiasts. Piedmont offers skiing and mountain sports in the villages that hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics and you can ski anywhere the Olympians did. Cervinia, near the Swiss border, Sappada, Cortina (Dolomites), Val Gardena, Gran Sasso and Roccaraso (Abruzzo) all offer developed ski resort and many other winter sports.

No matter what day you land in what month or what season just remember to enjoy your time in Italy!

By Elisa Bressan