What Are the 12 Months in Italian? Learn How To Pronounce and Use Them

Abbreviations for the months in Italian

While Italian doesn’t use abbreviated forms of months as frequently as English, some common abbreviations exist for formal documents or shorthand writing. 

Spelling and grammar rules for using months in Italian

When talking, writing, or reading about the months, there are a few Italian grammar rules to keep in mind. 

Italian months are not capitalized

Unlike in English, the names of months in the Italian language are not capitalized (nor are names of seasons or days of the week in Italian) unless they begin a sentence. 

• Mi piace andare al mare a maggio. = I like going to the beach in May.
• A marzo ho un appuntamento importante. = In March, I have an important appointment.
• Gennaio segna l’inizio di un nuovo anno. = January marks the beginning of a new year.

Use the prepositions a (in/at) and in (in) with months in different contexts

Prepositions such as a (in/at) and in (in) are often used with months, depending on the context. 

When talking about something that happens in a certain month in general, use a + [month] without an article. This is the most common way to talk about months in everyday speech.

• A gennaio fa freddo. = In January, it’s cold. 
• A luglio andiamo al mare. = In July, we go to the beach.
• Sono nato/a a marzo. = I was born in March.

But for ranges of months, you’ll use da…a (from…to): 

• Da marzo a maggio fioriscono i fiori. = From March to May, flowers bloom.

The preposition in is used with months to express an ongoing time period or to ask about a specific occurrence.

• In luglio andiamo al mare. = In July, we go to the beach.
• Le vacanze sono in agosto. = The holidays are in August.
• In che mese sei nato/a? = In which month were you born?

Use definite articles when talking about very specific months 

When referring to a particular month, like one in a specific year or a past event, use the definite article il (the). Note that l’ is used before the month if it starts with a vowel.

• Il dicembre del 2020 è stato indimenticabile. = December 2020 was unforgettable.
• L’ottobre dell’anno scorso fu un mese difficile. = October of last year was a difficult month.

Make sure the months and their adjectives match in gender and number

The months of the year in Italian are all masculine, so they take masculine adjectives (as well as articles, adjverbs, and so on). The months must match their adjectives in number (singular or plural), too.

• Novembre è un mese freddo e grigio. = November is a cold and gray month. (masculine, singular)
• Maggio e giugno sono mesi estivi. = May and june are summer months. (masculine, plural)

Italians sometimes refer to specific annual dates in the plural form when speaking casually.

• Negli anni passati, i ferragosti al mare erano sempre pieni di feste e risate. = In the past years, the mid-August celebrations at the beach were always full of parties and laughter.

Here, I ferragosti refers to past celebrations of Ferragosto, a holiday that occurs every year on August 15. This casual use of the plural form emphasizes the recurring nature of the Ferragosto celebrations over the years. 

Talking about dates with the months in Italian

When learning Italian, talking about dates is a fundamental skill that comes in handy for everything from planning a trip to Italy to chatting about birthdays or Italian holidays. Whether you’re speaking, writing out the month in full, or using numbers, Italian dates follow a consistent format: day + month + year (even if ordinal numbers are used).

Italian dates written numerically might be tricky if you’re used to the US format (month/day/year) because Italians write day/month/year! Another note to remember: Italians use primo (first) for the first day of the month instead of uno.

Here are some examples to help you master this:

• 12 dicembre 2025 = December 12, 2025 (typical written date format)
• Lui è nato il 3 marzo 1990. = He was born on March 3, 1990.
• 8/10/2025 = October 8, 2025  
• Quando è il primo febbraio? = When is February first? 

The importance of Italian months in proverbs

Italian proverbs about the months reflect the country’s agricultural heritage, cultural traditions, and poetic outlook on life. They serve as a bridge between practical advice and artistic expression, helping Italians connect with their roots while navigating the cycles of nature and time.

• Marzo pazzerello, guarda il sole e prendi l’ombrello = Crazy March, keep an eye on the sun and grab your umbrella (reminds farmers of unpredictable weather that could affect crops)
• Aprile dolce dormire = April sweet dreams (reflects the mild weather and the leisurely mood of springtime)
• Dicembre nevoso, anno fruttuoso = Snowy December, fruitful year (ties snowy weather to hopes for a prosperous year, blending nature’s rhythms with optimism)
• Gennaio e febbraio, due fratelli collerici = January and February, two angry brothers (reflects the cold, harsh nature of winter)

Proverbs have been a way to pass down wisdom, values, and observations about life through oral traditions. Associating them with months made them easy to remember and share. 

Fun daily practice tips for learning the months in Italian

Mastering the months of the year in Italian can be enjoyable and rewarding with a bit of creativity and the right resources. Knowing your Italian numbers is essential when using dates. Imagine trying to say the year without them—pretty tricky! By familiarizing yourself with these formats and practicing with real-life scenarios, like asking someone’s birthday or writing down an appointment, you’ll feel like a natural when using dates in Italian. Buona fortuna! 

Make the months part of your everyday life by: 

• writing journal entries in Italian
• creating a to-do list for the month
• setting calendar reminders in Italian to practice recognizing and saying dates
• exploring the history and meaning behind the current month’s name using Treccani’s Enciclopedia

Tip for remembering the months in Italian

A classic rhyme or practical and fun mnemonic device is a tried-and-true method for remembering the number of days in the months in Italian and the month names. 

Try this filastrocca dei mesi (rhyme of the months):

Trenta giorni ha novembre (Thirty days has November,)
con aprile, giugno e settembre; (With April, June, and September;)
di ventotto ce n’è uno, (Of twenty-eight, there is but one,)
tutti gli altri ne han trentuno! (All the others have thirty-one!)

Names of Italian seasons 

Italians often associate months with stagioni (seasons). For example, marzo is synonymous with spring, la primavera, and dicembre marks l’inverno (winter). As in English, the seasons are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence or are part of a proper noun or title.

The four stagioni dell’anno (seasons of the year) and their pronunciations are:

Mastering the months in Italian with Rosetta Stone

Learning the months in Italian is a crucial step in building a strong foundation for language mastery. From grammar rules to cultural insights, you now have the essential knowledge to confidently use the months in Italian conversations, writing, and daily life.

By practicing daily and immersing yourself in Italian through these engaging tips and trusted resources, you’ll be a pro at using i mesi dell’anno in no time. Buon divertimento!