Italian Phrase
È il 22 ottobre.
Meaning
This phrase is the standard way to state the date in Italian. It utilizes the third-person singular of the verb 'essere' (to be) followed by the masculine definite article 'il' and the cardinal number for the day.
When to use
Use this phrase when someone asks for the date or when you need to specify a date in a conversation, letter, or appointment. It is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Èil22ottobre
È (Essere)
The third-person singular form of 'essere' (to be), used here to mean 'It is'.
L'articolo 'il'
The masculine definite article 'il' is required before the number when expressing a date.
Cardinal Numbers
Unlike English, Italian uses cardinal numbers (1, 2, 3...) for all days of the month except the first day (il primo).
🗨In Conversation
Che giorno è oggi?
What day is today?
È il 22 ottobre.
It is October 22nd.
✕Common Mistakes
È 22 ottobre.
In Italian, you must include the definite article 'il' before the number when stating the date.
È il ventiduesimo ottobre.
Italian uses cardinal numbers (ventidue) for dates, whereas English uses ordinals (22nd). Only the first of the month uses an ordinal in Italian (il primo).
↔Alternatives
Oggi è il 22 ottobre.
Today is October 22nd.
Siamo al 22 ottobre.
We are at October 22nd (Commonly used in spoken Italian).
Cultural Tip
In Italy, dates are always written in the Day/Month/Year format. Additionally, months are not capitalized in Italian (ottobre) unless they appear at the very beginning of a sentence.