di sera
/di ˈse.ra/word by word
The English phrase "in the evening" is translated into Italian as di sera.
di sera is used to describe something that happens during the period of time between the afternoon and the night.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition di (of) and the noun sera (evening).
Which one should you use?
While di sera means "in the evening" when referring to a recurring time or a habit, la sera is used when referring to a specific evening or the concept of evening in general.
How does it change in a sentence?
di sera is an adverbial phrase of time and does not change its form based on the subject of the sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/di ˈse.ra/. The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In some traditional Italian contexts, the transition to sera is marked by the 'passeggiata', a slow social stroll through the town center before dinner.
- While di sera describes the time, Italians often use the related word serata to describe the actual experience or event that happens during that time.
- In Italy, the greeting buona sera is typically used not just in the evening, but starting as early as the mid-afternoon once the workday begins to wind down.
Examples in context
- Si incontrano di sera.They meet in the evening.This sentence shows how to use di sera to describe a recurring meeting.Tatoeba #10869831 by Guybrush88, translation #9237974 by sundown
- Torna sempre a casa alle sei di sera.He always gets home at six o'clock in the evening.This sentence demonstrates how to use di sera when specifying a time of day.Tatoeba #9437740 by Nuel, translation #1500657 by CK
- Qualche volta, quando le giornate sono belle, di sera esco a fare una passeggiata.Sometimes, when the days are fine, I go out for a walk in the evening.This sentence illustrates the use of di sera when describing a habitual evening activity.Tatoeba #11656444 by Nuel, translation #11656442 by Nuel
- Durante la serata, ci siamo concentrati sull'obiettivo principale della conferenza.During the evening, we focused on the main objective of the conference.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are discussing their plans for the day.
- MatteoCosa fai di sera?What are you doing in the evening?
- MartinaDi sera vado in palestra.In the evening, I go to the gym.
- MatteoIo preferisco riposare di sera.I prefer to rest in the evening.
- MartinaFa bene rilassarsi di sera.It is good to relax in the evening.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (di, sera) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
