Ferragosto: The Heart of Italian Summer

There is one date in August that matters more than any other: Ferragosto (August 15th).

Ferragosto has ancient Roman origins and later became connected to the Catholic celebration of the Assumption. But today, for most Italians, it simply means one thing: celebration.

People go to the beach, organize barbecues, take short trips, and spend time with friends.

You’ll hear expressions like:

• Buon Ferragosto!

• Cosa fai a Ferragosto?

• Andiamo al mare per Ferragosto.

  
  

Grammar hint:

When talking about fixed dates, we often use:

• a Ferragosto

• per Ferragosto

  
  

Example: Andiamo in montagna per Ferragosto.

Notice also the use of present tense for the future:Domani andiamo al mare.Italian often uses the present tense to talk about future plans.

Learning cultural holidays like Ferragosto gives you real conversational material. It’s something Italians talk about every year.

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