Italian Phrase
Ieri, che giorno era?
Meaning
This phrase is the standard way to ask about the day of the week or the date of the previous day. It uses the imperfect tense 'era' because it describes a state or quality of a past time period. It is essential for orienting yourself in past conversations.
When to use
Use this phrase when you have lost track of time or need to confirm a specific date for an event that happened recently. It is common in both casual and professional settings when discussing schedules.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ierichegiornoera
Ieri
An adverb of time meaning 'yesterday'. It can be placed at the start or end of the sentence.
L'imperfetto (era)
The verb 'essere' is conjugated in the imperfect tense because days of the week are considered ongoing states in the past context.
🗨In Conversation
Ieri, che giorno era?
Yesterday, what day was it?
Ieri era mercoledì, perché?
Yesterday was Wednesday, why?
✕Common Mistakes
Ieri, che giorno è stato?
The imperfect 'era' is preferred over the passato prossimo 'è stato' when referring to days and times in the past.
Ieri, quale giorno era?
In Italian, 'che' is the idiomatic interrogative adjective used with 'giorno' when asking for the day.
↔Alternatives
Che giorno era ieri?
What day was it yesterday?
Che data era ieri?
What date was it yesterday?
Cultural Tip
When Italians ask about the 'giorno', they are usually looking for the day of the week (e.g., Lunedì) rather than the number. If you want the specific calendar date, 'Che data era?' is more precise, though both are used interchangeably in casual speech.