Published on November 21, 2024
The days of the week in Italian: A complete guide
The days of the week in Italian are some of the most useful words to know if your goal is to hold everyday conversations, make plans, and connect with Italian culture. These seven words also come in handy when you need to arrange a meeting, coordinate schedule,s or talk about the upcoming weekend. In this article, you’ll learn how to spell and pronounce each day in Italian. We’ll also give you some practical tips for using them in sentences, and some interesting cultural insights that make each day all the more special. On what day does the local market take place? What does a typical domenica look like? Let’s find out.
When you start learning Italian, the days of the week and the months of the year are among the first words you’ll encounter. To help you to memorize and pronounce them correctly, here’s a summary:
| English | Italian | Pronunciation | IPA |
| Monday | lunedì | loo-neh-dee | /lu.neˈdi/ |
| Tuesday | martedì | mar-teh-dee | /mar.teˈdi/ |
| Wednesday | mercoledì | mer-ko-leh-dee | /mer.ko.leˈdi/ |
| Thursday | giovedì | joh-veh-dee | /dʒo.veˈdi/ |
| Friday | venerdì | veh-ner-dee | /ve.nerˈdi/ |
| Saturday | sabato | sah-bah-toh | /ˈsa.ba.to/ |
| Sunday | domenica | doh-meh-nee-kah | /doˈme.ni.ka/ |
One of the best parts about learning a language is getting to know all sorts of facts around the origins or cultural significance of a word. Often, this information helps you retain new vocabulary and gives an engaging twist to the learning process.
Did you know? The days of the week in Italian trace their roots back to influences from Roman mythology and the planets.
Unless you use them to start a sentence, you don’t capitalize the days of the week in Italian.
Fortunately, the gender of each day is easy to remember, because all of them are masculine except for domenica, since it’s a noun ending with -a.
Here are some typical examples of capitalization and gender:
Just like English, Italian employs some common adjectives and modifiers to be more specific about what (and when) is being referred to. Some key words to know include “this” (questo/questa), “next” (prossimo/prossima), and “last” (scorso/scorsa) — all of which are typically used with the days of the week to specify timing.
Here are some examples:
Since domenica is a feminine noun, the pronouns listed above should be declined accordingly in the correct gender, like so:
The definite articles il, la, i and le are used before the days of the week to indicate activities that regularly occur on those days. For example:
If you’re referring to a specific instance, simply omit the article:
Whether or not you use the article helps to distinguish between a routine, repeated event and a one-time event.
Memorizing the days of the week in Italian is easier if you follow a few effective techniques — namely, mnemonics and associations.
Associating each day with a common activity helps reinforce the name. For example:
| lunedì | Think of the moon (luna) for a calm start. |
| martedì | Link it to the energy of Mars, for a Mars-day workout. |
| mercoledì | Remember Mercury, the messenger, with midweek errands. |
| giovedì | Dinner out for King Jupiter! |
| venerdì | Why not pizza night? A fun way to start the weekend. |
| sabato | Link it to the Sabbath, as both words have similar origins. |
| domenica | You can think of dominoes as a game to play on family day. |
Finally, apart from sabato and domenica, the rest of the days of the week in Italian end in –dì, similarly to their English counterpart “-day.”
Songs and rhymes also make learning more engaging. “I giorni della settimana” is a popular Italian nursery rhyme that lists the days of the week in a catchy, repetitive tune, helping you remember their order and pronunciation.
In every region of Italy, each day of the week has its own rhythm and traditions deeply woven into the local culture. Many towns host farmers’ markets on set days of the week, like il mercato del martedì (Tuesday market). These markets are essential social and shopping hubs, drawing people together each week.
Weekends are especially meaningful in Italian culture, as they’re a time to rest and to see friends and extended family. Sunday holds strong religious and cultural significance; as such, it’s often reserved for family. Elders attend morning mass and families typically gather for an extended Sunday lunch, sharing traditional dishes and spending quality time together. These customs highlight Italy’s dedication to community and tradition.
Before you go, load up on some common phrases and expressions to practice using the weekdays in Italian:
| English | Italian | Use when |
| See you on Friday! (or any other weekday) | Ci vediamo venerdì! | Making plans and appointments |
| literally: ‘til Saturday! (or any other weekday) | A sabato! | |
| Shall we meet on Thursday? (or any other weekday) | Possiamo incontrarci/vederci giovedì? | |
| Every Monday, I do yoga. | Ogni lunedì faccio yoga. | Talking about regular activities |
| Every Wednesday, I play soccer. | Tutti i mercoledì gioco a calcio. |
| English | Italian | Pronunciation |
| today | oggi | oh-jee |
| tomorrow | domani | doh-mah-nee |
| yesterday | ieri | ee-eh-ree |
| day after tomorrow | dopodomani | doh-poh-doh-mah-nee |
| morning | la mattina | mah-tee-nah |
| afternoon | il pomeriggio | poh-meh-ree-jee-oh |
| evening | la sera | seh-rah |
| week | la settimana | seht-tee-mah-nah |
| day | il giorno | djor-noh |
There you have them! You’re now equipped with the right vocabulary to make plans, reminisce on your weekend and talk about your daily routines in Italian. Practice these words in daily conversations with friends, or prepare in advance for your Italian class with Lingoda (one of the best ways to learn Italian!).
With regular use, you’ll gain confidence and fluency!
