A Year in Italy: Learn How to Say the Twelve Months in Italian

Italy’s beauty spans all year long. Every season brings new scenery and culture, from sunny beaches in summer to snow-capped mountains in winter. Learning months in Italian helps you get closer to this culture. It’s the first step to understanding local traditions, events, and rituals bound to certain times of the year. With our guide, you’ll find out the names of the months and see how Italians use these words in daily speech.

Exploring the Months of the Year in Italian

If you’re learning Italian, you may start by memorizing the twelve months. These words assist us in daily life and time-based talks. The meanings are directly related to those in English, so they’re easier to remember. We’ll list each Italian month with a translation and some everyday examples below:

• Gennaio [dʒenˈnaːjo] – January

A gennaio, le Alpi sono perfette per sciare. – [a dʒenˈnaːjo le ˈalpi ˈsono perˈfette per ʃˈʃaːre] – In January, the Alps are perfect for skiing.

• Febbraio [febˈbraːjo] – February

Febbraio è il mese del Carnevale in Italia. – [febˈbraːjo ɛ il ˈmese del karneˈvale in iˈtaːlja] – February is the month of Carnival in Italy.

• Marzo [ˈmartso] – March

Marzo segna l’inizio della primavera. – [ˈmartso ˈseɲɲa liˈnitsjo ˈdella priˈmavera] – March marks the beginning of spring.

• Aprile [aˈpriːle] – April

In aprile, le città italiane si riempiono di fiori. – [in aˈpriːle le tʃitˈta itaˈljaːne si ˈrjempjono di ˈfjoːri] – In April, Italian cities fill with flowers.

• Maggio [ˈmaddʒo] – May

Maggio è un buon mese per visitare Roma. – [ˈmaddʒo ɛ un ˈbwɔn ˈmeːze per viˈzitaːre ˈroːma] – May is a good month to visit Rome.

• Giugno [ˈdʒuɲɲo] – June

Giugno è perfetto per le spiagge italiane. – [ˈdʒuɲɲo ɛ perˈfetto per le ˈspjaddʒe itaˈljaːne] – June is perfect for Italian beaches.

• Luglio [ˈluʎʎo] – July

In luglio, Venezia attira molti turisti. – [in ˈluʎʎo veˈnetsja aˈtira ˈmolti tuˈristi] – In July, Venice attracts many tourists.

• Agosto [aˈɡosto] – August

Agosto è il mese più caldo nelle città italiane. – [a’ɡosto ɛ il ‘mɛːze ˈpju ‘kaldo ˈnɛlle ˈʧit.ta i’taː.lja.ne] – August is the hottest month in Italian cities.

• Settembre [setˈtembre] – September

Settembre segna la vendemmia nelle campagne italiane. – [setˈtembre ˈseɲɲa la venˈdemmja ˈnelle kamˈpaɲɲe itaˈljaːne] – September marks the grape harvest in Italian countryside.

• Ottobre [otˈtoːbre] – October

Ottobre è ideale per visitare i musei. – [otˈtoːbre ɛ iˈdeːale per viˈzitaːre i mˈmuːzei] – October is ideal for visiting museums.

• Novembre [noˈvembre] – November

Novembre porta la pioggia in molte città italiane. – [noˈvembre ˈporta la ˈpjoddʒa in ˈmolte tʃitˈta itaˈljaːne] – November brings rain to many Italian cities.

• Dicembre [diˈʧɛmbre] – December

Dicembre è tempo di festività natalizie. – [diˈʧɛmbre ɛ ˈtempo di festiˈvita naˈtalittsje] – December is the time for Christmas festivities.

How to Use Italian Months

You learned the Italian months and can use them in common phrases. It’s a long way, but there’s one more step. There are certain grammar rules that guide these words. From using articles to dealing with gender, this section will cover all aspects.

• Gender. Every month in Italian has a masculine gender. It means you need to pair them with masculine pronouns and adjectives.

Ho adorato aprile; era perfetto. – [o aˈdo:rato ˈa:prile; ˈɛ:ra perˈfɛtto] – I adored April; it was perfect.

• Prepositions. Prepositions help connect months to other words. ‘A’ stands for in/on and signals an event during that month. ‘In’ shows the entire month.

A ottobre, raccolgo le foglie cadute. – [a otˈtoːbre, rakˈkolɡo le ˈfoʎʎe kaˈdute] – In October, I pick up the fallen leaves.

• Articles. All months usually stand without an article. For instance, if you want to say May in Italian, it will be maggio [ˈmaddʒo]. But when mentioning a specific date, include the article: il 20 maggio [il ˈvɛnti ˈmaddʒo] (the 20th of May).

Mi piace andare al mare in agosto. – [mi ˈpjake anˈdare al ˈmare in aˈɡosto] – I like going to the beach in August.

La festa è il 10 settembre. – [la ˈfɛsta ɛ il ˈdjeʧi setˈtɛmbre] – The party is on the 10th of September.

In Aprile, piove molto in Italia. – [in aˈpriːle, ˈpjove ˈmolto in iˈtaːlja] – In April, it rains a lot in Italy.)

• Capitalization. The months of the year in Italian do not start with a capital letter. You only need to capitalize them at the beginning of a sentence or in a title.

Adoro aprile e ottobre in Italia. – [aˈdɔːro ˈaprile e otˈtobre in iˈtaːlja] – I love April and October in Italy.

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Saying Four Seasons in Italian

Now that you know how to say January or February in Italian, explore the language further. Imagine talking about the weather and units of time with locals. You need to know how they describe the four seasons. The ways to say spring, summer, fall, and winter include:

• Primavera [priˈmaːvera] – Spring

La primavera è il momento perfetto per visitare il sud Italia. – [la priˈmaːvera ɛ il ˈmomento ˈperfetto per viˈzitaːre il sud iˈtaːlja] – Spring is the perfect time to visit Southern Italy.

Durante la primavera, i caffè all’aperto si riempiono di persone. – [duˈrante la priˈmaːvera i kafˈfɛ all‿aˈpɛrto si ˈrjempjono di perˈsone] – During spring, outdoor cafes fill with people.

• Estate [eˈstaːte] – Summer

In estate, le giornate sono molto lunghe. – [in eˈstaːte le dʒorˈnate ˈsono ˈmolto ˈlunɡe] – In summer, the days are very long.

Molte città italiane organizzano festival musicali in estate. – [ˈmolte tʃitˈta itaˈljaːne ordʒaˈnittsano fesˈtival muˈzikali in eˈstaːte] – Many Italian cities organize music festivals in summer.

• Autunno [auˈtunno] – Autumn

L’autunno porta i colori caldi nei parchi. – [lauˈtunno ˈporta i ˈkolori ˈkaldi nei ˈparki] – Autumn brings warm colors to the parks.

Autunno è la stagione del raccolto in molti villaggi italiani. – [auˈtunno ɛ la staˈdʒone del rakˈkolto in ˈmolti vilˈladʒi itaˈljaːni] – (Autumn is the harvest season in many Italian villages.

• Inverno [iɱˈvɛrno] – Winter

In inverno, la neve copre le montagne. – [in iɱˈvɛrno la ˈneːve ˈkopre le monˈtaɲɲe] – (In winter, snow covers the mountains.)

Le città italiane si illuminano di luci festose per tutto l’inverno. – [le tʃitˈta itaˈljaːne si illuˈmiːnano di ˈluti fesˈtose per ˈtutto liɱˈvɛrno] – Italian cities light up with festive lights throughout the winter.

Common Phrases Involving Italian Months of the Year

Learning the months and seasons in Italian is a great start. Let’s put this knowledge to use! We’ll look at popular phrases people in Italy often say. These will help you sound more natural when talking about certain times of the year:

• Siamo ad agosto [ˈsjamo ad aˈɡosto] – We are in August

Siamo ad agosto, il momento perfetto per andare al mare. [ˈsjamo ad aˈɡosto, il ˈmomento perˈfetto per anˈdare al ˈmare] (We are in August, the perfect time to go to the beach.)

• Natale a dicembre [naˈtale a diˈʧɛmbre] – Christmas in December

Natale a dicembre riunisce la famiglia. – [naˈtale a diˈʧɛmbre rjuˈniʃe la faˈmiʎʎa] – Christmas in December brings the family together.

• Festa in maggio [ˈfesta in ˈmaddʒo] – Party in May

Organizziamo sempre una festa in maggio per il compleanno di Marco. – [orɡaˈnittsjamo ˈsɛmpre ˈuna ˈfesta in ˈmaddʒo per il kompleˈanno di ˈmarko] – We always organize a party in May for Marco’s birthday.

• Aprile dolce dormire [aˈpriːle ˈdoltʃe dorˈmiːre] – April, sweet sleep

Dicono sempre Aprile dolce dormire perché la primavera è rilassante. – [ˈdikono ˈsɛmpre aˈpriːle ˈdoltʃe dorˈmiːre perˈke la priˈmavera ɛ riˈlaxante] – They always say April, sweet sleep because spring is relaxing.

• Caldo luglio [ˈkaldo ˈluʎʎo] – Hot July

Caldo luglio ci porta sempre al lido. – [ˈkaldo ˈluʎʎo tʃi ˈporta ˈsɛmpre al ˈliːdo] – Hot July always takes us to the beachfront.

• Settembre scolastico [setˈtembre skoˈlastiko] – School September

Settembre scolastico segna l’inizio di un nuovo anno di studi. – [setˈtembre skoˈlastiko ˈseɲɲa liˈnittsjo di un ˈnwɔːvo ˈanno di ˈstuːdi] – School September marks the beginning of a new year of studies.

• Ottobre rosso [otˈtoːbre ˈrosso] – Red October

Ottobre rosso è famoso per le sue foglie autunnali. – [otˈtoːbre ˈrosso ɛ ˈfamoso per le sue ˈfɔʎʎe auˈtunnali] – Red October is famous for its autumn leaves.

• Estate piena [eˈstaːte ˈpjena] – Full Summer

Estate piena di eventi, da concerti a festival. – [eˈstaːte ˈpjena di eˈventi, da konˈtʃɛrti a fesˈtival] – Full Summer of events, from concerts to festivals.)

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Conclusion

Saying any month, like January in Italian, or perhaps describing spring’s arrival, is now straightforward. This knowledge lets you schedule in Italian or chat with locals about the seasons. You’re one step closer to mastering the language, so keep moving forward. Learn the grammar rules and nuances each day, and soon, you’ll be using these months naturally in sentences. Also, you can complete our Months of the Year quiz to test your knowledge of English words.