A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "In the evening" in Italian
Learn how to say 'in the evening' in Italian to describe your plans or schedule during your travels.
Di sera.
dee-SEH-rahneutral
Italian TTS · 0:01
Use this when you are making plans for dinner or an after-work stroll. It is the standard way to specify that an activity will happen once the sun has begun to set.
Alternatives
- In serataUse this when referring to the later part of the evening or a specific event.
- StaseraUse this if you specifically mean 'tonight' instead of a general time of day.
Ways to get it wrong
Avoid 'nella sera'
While grammatically possible, Italians almost always use the preposition 'di' for times of day.
A small cultural note
In Italy, the evening is when life truly begins; don't be surprised if dinner plans start as late as 9:00 PM.
Frequently asked
Does di sera mean night or evening?
It specifically refers to the evening hours. Once you are deep into the night, Italians switch to using 'di notte'.
Can I use this for a specific time?
No, this is for a general time of day. If you want to say at 8:00 PM, use 'alle otto'.
Is di sera formal?
It is completely neutral. You can use it with a waiter, a friend, or a stranger without any issues.
