italiano · A1 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Months and seasons
Place events in months with a and seasons with in or d’estate/d’inverno.
Understand the choice
Calendar phrases vary more than English in. Store high-frequency chunks: a gennaio, in primavera, d’estate, in autunno, and d’inverno.
Core rule: Months commonly follow a or in; seasons use in + article or fixed forms d’estate/d’inverno.
Notice it in context
A luglio andiamo al mare, ma d’inverno restiamo a casa.
In July we go to the seaside, but in winter we stay home.
A luglio marks the month; d’inverno is a conventional seasonal phrase; both clauses omit subject pronouns.
La primavera comincia a marzo.
Spring begins in March.
Primavera is subject; a marzo locates the start.
In autunno ottobre è spesso piovoso.
In autumn October is often rainy.
Autunno and ottobre serve as season and subject.
What to remember
- Month and season names are normally lowercase.
- Estate is feminine; inverno is masculine.
Common trap: Do not automatically use nel before every month. A luglio and in luglio are standard, with a often common.