Le preposizioni "a, in, su, con" indicano luogo o tempo.

(The prepositions "a, in, su, con" indicate place or time.)

Using Italian time prepositions: the big picture

In this unit you learn to talk about when something happens in Italian.

  • Prepositions: di, a, da, in, per, tra/fra
  • Context: work, meetings, breaks, free time
  • Level: A1 – keep it simple and regular

Good news: these prepositions are very frequent and the use is quite fixed.

Once you see the patterns, they become automatic.

Overview: which preposition for which idea?

Preposition Main idea Example
di part of the day Lavoro di pomeriggio. – I work in the afternoon.
a exact moment / end of period Mangio a mezzogiorno. – I eat at noon.
da start of a period Da domani sono in vacanza. – From tomorrow I’m on holiday.
in inside a longer period Studio in settimana. – I study during the week.
per around / by a time (approximation or deadline) Mangio per le 12. – I eat around / by 12.
tra / fra interval or “in X time” (future) Tra le 6 e le 12 è mattina. – Between 6 and 12 it’s morning.

1. di for parts of the day

Use di when you talk about a part of the day in general, not a clock time.

  • di mattina – in the morning
  • di pomeriggio – in the afternoon
  • di sera – in the evening
  • di notte – at night

Typical patterns:

  • Lavoro di mattina.
  • Studio di sera.

Common confusion (English → Italian)

  • English: “in the morning” → Italian: di mattina, not *in mattina.
  • English: “at night” → Italian: di notte, not *a notte.

2. a for exact times and end points

Use a for a precise time or the end of a period.

  • a + clock time: a mezzogiorno, alle 8, a mezzanotte
  • a + end of period: da lunedì a venerdì

Typical patterns:

  • Mangio a mezzogiorno.
  • La riunione finisce a mezzogiorno.
  • Lavoro da lunedì a venerdì.

Watch out

  • English “at noon / at 10” → Italian a mezzogiorno / alle 10, not *in mezzogiorno.

3. da for the start of a period

Use da when you mark the starting point in time.

  • da + day: da lunedì – from Monday
  • da + moment word: da domani – from tomorrow
  • da … a … for a period: da lunedì a venerdì

Typical patterns:

  • Da domani sono in vacanza.
  • Lavoro da lunedì a venerdì.

Compare with English

  • English “from” → Italian da: from Mondayda lunedì.

4. in for “during” a longer period

Use in when something happens inside a period, not at one exact minute.

  • in settimana – during the week
  • in giornata – during the day

Typical patterns:

  • Studio italiano in settimana.
  • Rispondo alle email in giornata.

Compare with English

  • English often uses “during” → Italian can use in:
    during the weekin settimana.

5. tra / fra for intervals and future “in X time”

tra and fra are 100% the same.

Choose the one that is easier to pronounce.

  • Between two times
    • Tra le 9 e le 11 abbiamo molte telefonate.
    • Le lezioni sono tra le 9 e le 11.
  • “In X time” (future)
    • Arrivo tra cinque minuti. – I arrive in five minutes.
    • Parto fra due ore. – I leave in two hours.

Compare with English

  • English “between … and …” → Italian tra / fra … e ….
  • English “in 5 minutes” → Italian tra / fra cinque minuti.

6. per around / by a time (A1 use)

At this level, use per with time mainly in one way.

  • per + le + hour → “around / by that time”

Typical patterns:

  • Mangio per le 12. – I eat around / by 12.
  • Arrivo per le 8. – I arrive by 8.

This is a bit “flexible time” – not exact, but close.

7. Contrast: part of the day vs exact time

Many learners mix di and a because English uses “in / at”.

Idea Italian English
general part of the day di mattina in the morning
exact time alle 9 at 9
combine both alle 9 di mattina at 9 in the morning

Rule to remember

  • di = which part of the day.
  • a = which exact time.

8. Step-by-step: choose the right preposition

  1. Ask: Is it an exact time (a number)?
    • Yes → usually a: alle 7, a mezzanotte.
    • No → go to step 2.
  2. Ask: Is it a general part of the day?
    • Yes → di mattina / pomeriggio / sera / notte.
  3. Ask: Do you want to say when a period starts?
    • Yes → da: da lunedì, da domani.
  4. Ask: Do you mean “during the week / day”?
    • Yes → in settimana / giornata.
  5. Ask: Is it an interval between two times?
    • Yes → tra / fra le X e le Y.
  6. Ask: Do you want “in X minutes / hours” (future)?
    • Yes → tra / fra X minuti / ore.
  7. Ask: Do you mean “around / by 12”?
    • Yes → per le 12.

9. Quick self-check: can you explain these?

Try to answer in your own words (in English).

  • Why do we say di mattina but a mezzogiorno?
  • When do you need da and when do you need a in da lunedì a venerdì?
  • How do you say “between 2 and 3” and “in 5 minutes” in Italian?
  • When do you choose in settimana instead of di settimana?

If you can answer these clearly, you are ready to use the prepositions in conversation.

10. Mini reference: useful time expressions

Italian English
di mattina / pomeriggio / sera / notte in the morning / afternoon / evening / at night
a mezzogiorno / a mezzanotte at noon / at midnight
alle 8, alle 9 e mezza at 8, at 9:30
da lunedì a venerdì from Monday to Friday
in settimana during the week
tra le 9 e le 11 between 9 and 11
tra cinque minuti in five minutes
per le 7 by / around 7

Keep this as a mental “cheat sheet” while you work with the dialogues and exercises.

  1. Use "da" to indicate the beginning of a period of time.
  2. Use "a" to indicate a precise moment in time, and the end of a period of time.
  3. Use "in" to indicate a period of time when something happens.
  4. Use "tra/fra" to indicate a time interval.
  5. Use "di" to indicate a part of the day.
Preposizione (Preposition)Esempio (Example)
DiLavoro di pomeriggio
AMangio a mezzogiorno
DaDa domani sono in vacanza
InStudio in settimana
PerMangio per le 12
Tra/fraFra le 6 e le 12 è mattina

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. Lavoro ___ mattina e spesso abbiamo una riunione a mezzogiorno.

I work ___ the morning and we often have a meeting at noon.)

2. ___ settimana studio italiano la sera, ma a mezzanotte dormo sempre.

___ the week I study Italian in the evenings, but at midnight I always sleep.)

3. Domani i bambini vanno a scuola ___ mattina e al parco nel pomeriggio.

Tomorrow the children go to school ___ the morning and to the park in the afternoon.)

4. ___ le 9 e le 11 abbiamo molte telefonate, poi lavoriamo tranquilli di pomeriggio.

___ 9 and 11 we have many phone calls; afterwards we work quietly in the afternoon.)

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rephrase the sentences using the correct time preposition (di, a, da, in, per, tra/fra) indicated in parentheses.

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints
  1. Hint Hint (di) Lavoro il pomeriggio.
    ⇒ _______________________________________________ Example
    Lavoro di pomeriggio.
    (I work in the afternoon.)
  2. Hint Hint (a) Mangiamo il mezzogiorno.
    ⇒ _______________________________________________ Example
    Mangiamo a mezzogiorno.
    (We eat at noon.)
  3. Hint Hint (da) Domani sono in vacanza.
    ⇒ _______________________________________________ Example
    Da domani sono in vacanza.
    (I’m on holiday from tomorrow.)
  4. Hint Hint (in) Studio la settimana.
    ⇒ _______________________________________________ Example
    Studio in settimana.
    (I study during the week.)
  5. Hint Hint (per) Pranzo verso le 12.
    ⇒ _______________________________________________ Example
    Pranzo per le 12.
    (I have lunch around 12.)
  6. Hint Hint (tra/fra) Le lezioni sono le 9 e le 11.
    ⇒ _______________________________________________ Example
    Le lezioni sono tra le 9 e le 11.
    (The classes are between 9 and 11.)

Exercise 3: Grammar in action

Instruction: In pairs, compare your schedules and plan the week.

Show/Hide translation
Situation
Due colleghi organizzano la settimana di lavoro e il tempo libero insieme.
(Two colleagues plan their workweek and free time together.)

Discuss
  • Quando lavori di mattina, di pomeriggio o di sera durante la settimana? (Do you work mornings, afternoons, or evenings during the week?)
  • A che ora di solito dormi la sera e a che ora ti svegli la mattina?','Cosa hai fatto ieri sera e cosa fai domani sera? (What time do you usually go to bed and what time do you wake up?)

Useful words and phrases
  • Lavoro di mattina il lunedì e di pomeriggio il martedì. (I work mornings on Monday and afternoons on Tuesday.)
  • Mangio a mezzogiorno; dormo la notte; studio in settimana. (I eat at noon; I sleep at night; I study during the week.)
  • Da domani sono libero venerdì sera e sabato pomeriggio. (From tomorrow I am free Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.)

Use in conversation
  • usare di per periodo della giornata (use di for parts of the day)
  • usare a, in, da, tra/fra per indicare il tempo (use a, in, da, tra/fra to indicate time)

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Wednesday, 18/02/2026 16:35