Language/Italian/Vocabulary/Numbers-and-Dates
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Introduction[edit | edit source]
Learning how to count and express dates in Italian is an essential skill for anyone who wants to communicate effectively in the language. In this lesson, we will explore the Italian vocabulary related to numbers and dates, providing you with the necessary tools to navigate these aspects of Italian culture and daily life. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently count and express dates in Italian, enhancing your language skills and understanding of Italian culture.
Numbers in Italian[edit | edit source]
Italian numbers are an integral part of everyday life, used in various contexts such as telling time, expressing quantities, and giving dates. In this section, we will introduce you to the Italian numbers from 0 to 1000, providing you with the foundation to understand and use numbers in Italian.
Cardinal Numbers[edit | edit source]
Cardinal numbers are used to express the quantity or number of something. They are the basic numbers used in everyday conversations. Let's take a look at the Italian cardinal numbers from 0 to 20:
- 0 - zero
- 1 - uno
- 2 - due
- 3 - tre
- 4 - quattro
- 5 - cinque
- 6 - sei
- 7 - sette
- 8 - otto
- 9 - nove
- 10 - dieci
- 11 - undici
- 12 - dodici
- 13 - tredici
- 14 - quattordici
- 15 - quindici
- 16 - sedici
- 17 - diciassette
- 18 - diciotto
- 19 - diciannove
- 20 - venti
Italian numbers from 21 to 100 follow a regular pattern. To form these numbers, you need to combine the words for the tens (venti, trenta, quaranta, etc.) with the words for the units (uno, due, tre, etc.). For example:
- 21 - ventuno
- 22 - ventidue
- 30 - trenta
- 40 - quaranta
- 50 - cinquanta
- 60 - sessanta
- 70 - settanta
- 80 - ottanta
- 90 - novanta
- 100 - cento
Notice that the word "uno" changes to "un" when it precedes a masculine noun.
Italian numbers from 101 to 1000 continue the same pattern. To form these numbers, you need to combine the word for "cento" (hundred) with the numbers from 1 to 100. For example:
- 101 - centouno
- 200 - duecento
- 300 - trecento
- 400 - quattrocento
- 500 - cinquecento
- 600 - seicento
- 700 - settecento
- 800 - ottocento
- 900 - novecento
- 1000 - mille
Ordinal Numbers[edit | edit source]
Ordinal numbers are used to indicate the order or position of something in a series. In Italian, ordinal numbers are formed by adding the suffix "-esimo" to the cardinal number. Here are the ordinal numbers from 1st to 10th:
- 1st - primo/prima
- 2nd - secondo/seconda
- 3rd - terzo/terza
- 4th - quarto/quarta
- 5th - quinto/quinta
- 6th - sesto/sesta
- 7th - settimo/settima
- 8th - ottavo/ottava
- 9th - nono/nona
- 10th - decimo/decima
For numbers beyond 10th, you simply add the suffix "-esimo" to the cardinal number. For example:
- 11th - undicesimo/undicesima
- 12th - dodicesimo/dodicesima
- 13th - tredicesimo/tredicesima
- 20th - ventesimo/ventesima
- 21st - ventunesimo/ventunesima
- 30th - trentesimo/trentesima
- 100th - centesimo/centesima
- 1000th - millesimo/millesima
Dates in Italian[edit | edit source]
Expressing dates in Italian requires an understanding of both cardinal and ordinal numbers. In this section, we will explore how to express dates in Italian, including the vocabulary for days, months, and years.
Days of the Week[edit | edit source]
Let's start by learning the Italian names for the days of the week:
- Monday - lunedì
- Tuesday - martedì
- Wednesday - mercoledì
- Thursday - giovedì
- Friday - venerdì
- Saturday - sabato
- Sunday - domenica
In Italian, the days of the week are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.
Months of the Year[edit | edit source]
Next, let's learn the Italian names for the months of the year:
- January - gennaio
- February - febbraio
- March - marzo
- April - aprile
- May - maggio
- June - giugno
- July - luglio
- August - agosto
- September - settembre
- October - ottobre
- November - novembre
- December - dicembre
Again, in Italian, the months of the year are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.
Expressing Dates[edit | edit source]
To express the date in Italian, you typically combine the day of the month, the month, and the year. For example:
- January 1, 2022 - primo gennaio 2022
- July 15, 2023 - quindici luglio 2023
- December 31, 2024 - trentuno dicembre 2024
When writing the date, you can use a comma after the day and month for clarity, but it is not mandatory. It is also common to write the day before the month in Italian.
Talking about Birthdays[edit | edit source]
To talk about birthdays in Italian, you typically use the preposition "il" (on) followed by the day and month. For example:
- My birthday is on January 10th. - Il mio compleanno è il dieci gennaio.
- Her birthday is on August 20th. - Il suo compleanno è il venti agosto.
Giving the Year[edit | edit source]
When giving the year in Italian, you can simply state the number. For example:
- 1990 - mille novecento novanta
- 2025 - duemila venticinque
Saying "Today," "Yesterday," and "Tomorrow"[edit | edit source]
To express "today," "yesterday," and "tomorrow" in Italian, you can use the following words:
- Today - oggi
- Yesterday - ieri
- Tomorrow - domani
For example:
- Today is Monday. - Oggi è lunedì.
- Yesterday was Sunday. - Ieri era domenica.
- Tomorrow will be Tuesday. - Domani sarà martedì.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In this lesson, we have explored the Italian vocabulary related to numbers and dates. We have learned how to count from 0 to 1000, how to form ordinal numbers, and how to express dates in Italian using days, months, and years. By mastering these skills, you will be able to confidently communicate and understand the concept of time in Italian. Keep practicing and incorporating these words and phrases into your daily conversations to reinforce your learning. Buon lavoro! (Good work!)
Videos[edit | edit source]
Learn English for Italian Speakers, Vocabulary, Numbers - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Italian Vocabulary: Ordinal Numbers
- The Italian Calendar: Talking About Dates in Italian
- Italian Vocabulary Sparkcharts: Volume 32 (Other) | Books and ...
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Jobs
- Imperative Case in Italian
- Idiomatic Expressions
- Travel
- Body
- Body parts
- Basic Phrases in İtalian
- Dinner Table
- Transportation
- Asking Directions
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