Italian Phrase
È il 15 agosto.
Meaning
This phrase is used to state the date, specifically referring to August 15th. In Italy, this date is highly significant as it marks the national holiday of Ferragosto. It combines the verb 'essere' (to be) with the definite article and the specific day and month.
When to use
Use this phrase when someone asks for the current date or when discussing plans for the mid-summer holiday. It is the standard way to identify this specific day on the calendar.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Èil15agosto
È
The third-person singular of the verb 'essere' (to be), used to identify dates and times.
il
The masculine definite article used before numbers when stating the date.
agosto
In Italian, months are not capitalized unless they appear at the very beginning of a sentence.
🗨In Conversation
Che giorno è oggi?
What day is today?
È il 15 agosto.
It is August 15th.
✕Common Mistakes
Sono il 15 agosto.
Dates in Italian use the third-person singular form of 'essere' (è) rather than the plural.
È 15 agosto.
Italian dates require the definite article 'il' before the number.
↔Alternatives
Oggi è il quindici agosto.
Today is August 15th.
Siamo al quindici agosto.
We are at August 15th (idiomatic).
Cultural Tip
August 15th is Ferragosto, one of Italy's most important summer holidays. Most Italians head to the beach or mountains, and many businesses across the country close for the day or even the entire week. It has roots in both ancient Roman festivals and the Catholic feast of the Assumption.