Italian Phrase
È il 15.
Meaning
This is the standard Italian construction used to express the current day of the month. It combines the singular verb 'essere' with the masculine definite article 'il' and a cardinal number.
When to use
Use this phrase when someone asks for the date or when you need to confirm which day of the month it is. It is appropriate for both casual conversation and professional environments.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Èil15
È (Essere)
The third-person singular form of 'essere' (to be), used here to state a fact about the current time or date.
Il (Article)
The masculine singular definite article required before cardinal numbers when expressing the day of the month.
🗨In Conversation
Scusa, che giorno è oggi?
Excuse me, what day is today?
È il 15.
It's the 15th.
✕Common Mistakes
Sono il 15.
Learners often use the plural 'sono' because numbers feel plural, but in Italian, the date takes the singular 'è'.
È 15.
You must include the definite article 'il' before the number when stating the date.
↔Alternatives
Oggi è il quindici.
Today is the fifteenth.
Siamo al quindici.
We are at the fifteenth (literally 'we are at the 15th').
Cultural Tip
In Italy, dates are strictly written in the Day/Month/Year format. Note that while the first day of the month is called 'il primo' (an ordinal number), all other days use cardinal numbers like 'due', 'tre', or 'quindici'.