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Italian Phrase

Sto sognando una vacanza al mare.

/sto soɲˈɲando ˈuna vaˈkantsa al ˈma.re/
Meaning"I am dreaming of a vacation at the sea."
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Meaning

I am dreaming of a vacation at the sea. The sentence conveys a current day‑dream or wish about spending time on the beach, often used when talking about future travel plans or simply indulging in a pleasant fantasy.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you want to express a present desire or day‑dream about going to the beach, especially in casual conversation with friends, family, or a travel partner.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Stosognandounavacanzaalmare

1

Stare + gerundio

The present progressive in Italian is formed with the verb 'stare' followed by the gerund (verb ending in -ando or -endo).

2

Gerundio di 'sognare'

The gerund of 'sognare' (to dream) is 'sognando'.

3

Articolo indeterminativo femminile

'una' is the indefinite article used with feminine singular nouns like 'vacanza'.

4

Contrazione 'al'

'al' is the contraction of the preposition 'a' + the definite article 'il', meaning 'to the' or 'at the'.

5

Sostantivo maschile 'mare'

'mare' is a masculine noun meaning 'sea' or 'beach'.

🗨In Conversation

A

Sto sognando una vacanza al mare.

I’m dreaming of a vacation at the sea.

Anche io! Dovremmo andare insieme.

Me too! We should go together.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Sto sognare una vacanza al mare.

    The verb must be in gerund form after 'sto'.

  • Sto sognando una vacanza al mar.

    Use the Italian word 'mare', not the Spanish 'mar'.

  • Sto sognando una vacanza al il mare.

    Do not separate the contraction; 'al' already combines 'a' + 'il'.

↔Alternatives

  • Sogno una vacanza al mare.

    I dream of a vacation at the sea.

  • Mi piacerebbe una vacanza al mare.

    I would like a vacation at the sea.

  • Vorrei una vacanza al mare.

    I would like a vacation at the sea.

it

Cultural Tip

In Italy, a 'vacanza al mare' is a classic summer tradition, especially in regions like the Amalfi Coast, Sardinia, and the Adriatic Riviera. Italians often talk about the sea using 'al mare' rather than 'in mare' when referring to a beach holiday. Remember that the word 'mare' is masculine, so adjectives must agree (e.g., 'il mare cristallino').