A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "At night" in Italian
Use 'di notte' for 'at night' in Italian. It's the standard phrase for nighttime activities and general references to the evening hours.
di notte
dee NOT-tayneutral
Italian TTS · 0:01
This is the most common way to say 'at night.' Use it when talking about what you do after dark, like 'Non esco di notte' (I don't go out at night) or 'Fa più freddo di notte' (It's colder at night).
Alternatives
- la seraUse this for 'in the evening,' referring to the earlier part of the night.
- notturnoUse this as an adjective, like 'servizio notturno' (night service).
Ways to get it wrong
Confusing 'di notte' with 'notte'
'Notte' means 'night' as a noun, but you need 'di notte' to mean 'at night' as an adverbial phrase.
Using 'nella notte'
While understandable, 'nella notte' is less common and can sound a bit poetic or specific to being 'within the night'.
A small cultural note
Italians often distinguish between 'la sera' (evening) and 'la notte' (night), with 'la notte' typically starting after dinner or later.
Frequently asked
when to use di notte vs la sera
Use 'di notte' for the entire period of darkness, especially later hours. Use 'la sera' for the earlier part of the evening, typically after work and before bedtime.
is di notte formal or informal
'Di notte' is a neutral phrase and works in almost any situation. You don't need to worry about changing it based on who you're talking to.
how to say at night in italian for a specific night
To specify a particular night, you'd say 'la notte di [day]' (e.g., 'la notte di sabato' for Saturday night) or use context.
