Italian for Beginners — Lesson 7: Daily Routines and Everyday Activities

Welcome back to Italian for Beginners!

In Lesson 6, you learned how to ask for directions, find places around a city, and understand expressions such as a destra (to the right), a sinistra (to the left) and sempre dritto (straight ahead).

Today, we’re going to talk about something even more familiar: your daily routine!

What time do you wake up? What do you eat for breakfast? Do you work, study Italian, play music or go dancing? And what do you do in the evening?

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to describe your day in Italian, talk about everyday activities, tell people what time you do things, and ask others about their routines.

Let’s get started!

Andiamo! — Let’s go!

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Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Describe your daily routine in Italian.
• Talk about morning, afternoon and evening activities.
• Use common Italian verbs in the present tense.
• Tell people when you do different activities.
• Ask and answer questions about everyday life.
• Create simple sentences about your own day.

1. Parts of the day in Italian

Let’s begin with the expressions you’ll need to describe when things happen.

Italian	English
la mattina	the morning
il pomeriggio	the afternoon
la sera	the evening
la notte	the night
oggi	today
domani	tomorrow
ogni giorno	every day
tutti i giorni	every day
presto	early
tardi	late
dopo	afterwards / after
prima	before / first
poi	then
finalmente	finally

Useful expressions

La mattina mi sveglio presto.
I wake up early in the morning.

Il pomeriggio lavoro.
I work in the afternoon.

La sera ascolto la musica.
I listen to music in the evening.

La notte dormo.
I sleep at night.

Ogni giorno studio italiano.
I study Italian every day.

A little grammar tip

In Italian, you don’t always need to use the word io (I) because the verb usually tells us who is doing the action.

For example:

• Io lavoro. — I work.
• Lavoro. — I work.

Both are correct. The second version is very common in everyday Italian.

2. Everyday activities: Le attività quotidiane

Here are some of the most useful verbs and expressions for describing your day.

Italian	English
svegliarsi	to wake up
alzarsi	to get up
lavarsi	to wash oneself
farsi la doccia	to take a shower
vestirsi	to get dressed
fare colazione	to have breakfast
bere un caffè	to drink a coffee
andare al lavoro	to go to work
lavorare	to work
studiare	to study
pranzare	to have lunch
cucinare	to cook
ascoltare la musica	to listen to music
suonare la chitarra	to play the guitar
ballare	to dance
fare una passeggiata	to go for a walk
cenare	to have dinner
guardare la televisione	to watch television
leggere un libro	to read a book
andare a dormire	to go to bed

Don’t try to memorise everything at once. Choose five activities that describe your own day and practise using them in sentences.

3. Talking about your morning

Let’s see how to describe a typical morning in Italian.

Mi sveglio alle sette.
I wake up at seven.

Mi alzo alle sette e dieci.
I get up at ten past seven.

Mi lavo e mi vesto.
I wash and get dressed.

Faccio colazione alle otto.
I have breakfast at eight.

Bevo un caffè.
I drink a coffee.

Poi comincio a lavorare.
Then I start working.

Notice the expressions mi sveglio, mi alzo, mi lavo and mi vesto. These verbs describe actions you perform on yourself. They are called reflexive verbs.

We’ll look at them more closely in Section 6.

4. Telling the time: A che ora?

In Lesson 4, you learned how to tell the time. Now let’s use that knowledge to describe your routine.

The question is:

A che ora…?
At what time…?

For example:

A che ora ti svegli?
What time do you wake up?

A che ora fai colazione?
What time do you have breakfast?

A che ora vai al lavoro?
What time do you go to work?

A che ora ceni?
What time do you have dinner?

Answering the question

Use alle before most clock times.

• Mi sveglio alle sei. — I wake up at six.
• Faccio colazione alle sette. — I have breakfast at seven.
• Pranzo alle tredici. — I have lunch at one p.m.
• Ceno alle venti. — I have dinner at eight p.m.

Remember:

• all’una — at one o’clock
• alle due — at two o’clock
• alle otto — at eight o’clock

You can also use everyday expressions such as all’una del pomeriggio (at one in the afternoon) to make the time clearer.

5. From morning to evening

Let’s put the vocabulary together in a short story.

La mia giornata — My day

La mattina mi sveglio alle sette. Mi alzo, mi lavo e faccio colazione. Bevo un caffè e mangio del pane.

Alle nove comincio a lavorare. Durante la mattina lavoro e ascolto un po’ di musica.

A mezzogiorno preparo il pranzo. Dopo pranzo, mi rilasso un po’.

Nel pomeriggio studio italiano, suono la chitarra oppure faccio una passeggiata.

La sera preparo la cena e ascolto la musica. A volte guardo un film o leggo un libro.

Infine, mi preparo per andare a dormire. Di solito vado a letto alle undici.

English translation

In the morning, I wake up at seven. I get up, wash and have breakfast. I drink a coffee and eat some bread.

At nine, I start working. During the morning, I work and listen to some music.

At midday, I prepare lunch. After lunch, I relax a little.

In the afternoon, I study Italian, play the guitar or go for a walk.

In the evening, I prepare dinner and listen to music. Sometimes I watch a film or read a book.

Finally, I get ready to go to sleep. I usually go to bed at eleven.

Your turn: Which activities in this story are part of your own routine? Which would you change?

6. Grammar: Reflexive verbs

Some everyday actions in Italian use reflexive verbs. These describe actions that the subject performs on themselves.

For example, svegliarsi means “to wake up”.

When we use it with io (I), it becomes mi sveglio.

Here are three important examples:

Infinitive	With io	English
svegliarsi	mi sveglio	I wake up
alzarsi	mi alzo	I get up
vestirsi	mi vesto	I get dressed
lavarsi	mi lavo	I wash myself
rilassarsi	mi rilasso	I relax

The word mi comes before the conjugated verb.

Compare:

Mi sveglio alle sette.
I wake up at seven.

Mi vesto velocemente.
I get dressed quickly.

Mi rilasso la sera.
I relax in the evening.

You do not need to master every reflexive verb today. Start by remembering mi sveglio, mi alzo and mi vesto.

7. Common verbs in the present tense

Let’s learn how to conjugate some everyday verbs.

Lavorare — To work

Italian	English
io lavoro	I work
tu lavori	you work
lui/lei lavora	he/she works
noi lavoriamo	we work
voi lavorate	you work (plural)
loro lavorano	they work

Mangiare — To eat

Italian	English
io mangio	I eat
tu mangi	you eat
lui/lei mangia	he/she eats
noi mangiamo	we eat
voi mangiate	you eat (plural)
loro mangiano	they eat

Dormire — To sleep

Italian	English
io dormo	I sleep
tu dormi	you sleep
lui/lei dorme	he/she sleeps
noi dormiamo	we sleep
voi dormite	you sleep (plural)
loro dormono	they sleep

What is the pattern?

Many Italian verbs follow regular patterns in the present tense:

• -are: lavorare → lavoro, lavori, lavora…
• -ere: prendere → prendo, prendi, prende…
• -ire: dormire → dormo, dormi, dorme…

There are exceptions and additional patterns, but these examples give you a useful starting point.

8. Talking about free time

Daily life isn’t just work and meals. Let’s learn how to talk about hobbies and activities.

Italian	English
ascoltare musica	to listen to music
suonare uno strumento	to play an instrument
ballare	to dance
cantare	to sing
fare sport	to do sport
andare in palestra	to go to the gym
guardare un film	to watch a film
leggere	to read
uscire con gli amici	to go out with friends
riposarsi	to rest

Example sentences

Nel tempo libero ascolto musica.
In my free time, I listen to music.

Mi piace ballare.
I like dancing.

Suono la chitarra ogni giorno.
I play the guitar every day.

Il fine settimana esco con gli amici.
At the weekend, I go out with friends.

Mi piace leggere la sera.
I like reading in the evening.

How to say what you like

Use mi piace before an activity expressed as an infinitive.

• Mi piace ballare. — I like dancing.
• Mi piace cucinare. — I like cooking.
• Mi piace studiare italiano. — I like studying Italian.

For multiple things, use mi piacciono with plural nouns:

Mi piacciono i film italiani.
I like Italian films.

9. Dialogue: Talking about your day

Read this conversation aloud. Try to practise both roles.

Una giornata normale — A normal day

Marco: Ciao, Anna! A che ora ti svegli di solito?

Hi, Anna! What time do you usually wake up?

Anna: Ciao, Marco! Mi sveglio alle sette. E tu?

Hi, Marco! I wake up at seven. And you?

Marco: Io mi sveglio alle otto. Poi faccio colazione.

I wake up at eight. Then I have breakfast.

Anna: Lavori la mattina?

Do you work in the morning?

Marco: Sì, lavoro fino alle cinque del pomeriggio.

Yes, I work until five in the afternoon.

Anna: E cosa fai la sera?

And what do you do in the evening?

Marco: Mi piace suonare la chitarra e ascoltare musica. E tu?

I like playing the guitar and listening to music. And you?

Anna: Io leggo un libro oppure guardo un film.

I read a book or watch a film.

Marco: A che ora vai a dormire?

What time do you go to bed?

Anna: Di solito alle undici.

Usually at eleven.

Marco: Buona notte, allora!

Good night, then!

Anna: Buona notte!

Good night!

10. Useful questions about daily routines

Practise these questions so you can have simple conversations in Italian.

Italian	English
Come ti chiami?	What is your name?
A che ora ti svegli?	What time do you wake up?
Cosa fai la mattina?	What do you do in the morning?
Cosa mangi a colazione?	What do you eat for breakfast?
Lavori o studi?	Do you work or study?
Cosa fai nel tempo libero?	What do you do in your free time?
Ti piace ballare?	Do you like dancing?
A che ora vai a dormire?	What time do you go to bed?

Useful answers include:

Mi sveglio alle sette. — I wake up at seven.

Faccio colazione a casa. — I have breakfast at home.

Lavoro da casa. — I work from home.

Nel tempo libero ascolto musica. — In my free time, I listen to music.

Sì, mi piace ballare. — Yes, I like dancing.

No, preferisco leggere. — No, I prefer reading.

11. Practice exercises

Now it’s time to test what you’ve learned!

Exercise 1 — Translate into Italian

Translate these sentences:

1. I wake up at seven.
2. I have breakfast at eight.
3. I work in the morning.
4. I listen to music in the evening.
5. I like dancing.
6. I go to bed at eleven.

Exercise 2 — Complete the sentences

Choose the correct word or expression.

1. Mi ______ alle sette. (sveglio / dormo)
2. Faccio ______ la mattina. (colazione / cena)
3. La sera ascolto la ______. (stazione / musica)
4. Nel tempo libero mi piace ______. (ballare / colazione)
5. Vado a ______ alle undici. (dormire / pranzo)

Exercise 3 — Choose the correct verb

Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

1. Io ______ ogni giorno. (lavorare)
2. Tu ______ la chitarra. (suonare)
3. Lei ______ alle sette. (dormire)
4. Noi ______ italiano. (studiare)
5. Loro ______ la mattina. (mangiare)

Exercise 4 — Answer about yourself

Answer these questions in Italian. Your answers can be different from the examples.

1. A che ora ti svegli?
2. Cosa mangi a colazione?
3. Cosa fai nel pomeriggio?
4. Cosa ti piace fare nel tempo libero?
5. A che ora vai a dormire?

Example:

A che ora ti svegli?

Mi sveglio alle sette e mezza.

Exercise 5 — Write about your day

Write five to eight sentences describing your typical day in Italian.

Try to include:

• When you wake up.
• What you eat or drink for breakfast.
• What you do in the morning.
• What you do in the afternoon.
• What you like doing in your free time.
• When you go to bed.

Use expressions such as la mattina, poi, nel pomeriggio, la sera and di solito.

Don’t worry about making every sentence perfect. The aim is to start expressing your own ideas in Italian.

12. Answer key

Exercise 1

1. Mi sveglio alle sette.
2. Faccio colazione alle otto.
3. Lavoro la mattina.
4. Ascolto musica la sera.
5. Mi piace ballare.
6. Vado a dormire alle undici.

Exercise 2

1. Mi sveglio alle sette.
2. Faccio colazione la mattina.
3. La sera ascolto la musica.
4. Nel tempo libero mi piace ballare.
5. Vado a dormire alle undici.

Exercise 3

1. Io lavoro ogni giorno.
2. Tu suoni la chitarra.
3. Lei dorme alle sette.
4. Noi studiamo italiano.
5. Loro mangiano la mattina.

Exercise 4

Answers will vary. Here are some examples:

1. Mi sveglio alle sette.
2. Mangio pane e bevo un caffè.
3. Nel pomeriggio lavoro.
4. Mi piace ascoltare musica.
5. Vado a dormire alle undici.

Exercise 5

Answers will vary. Here’s one possible response:

La mattina mi sveglio alle sette. Faccio colazione e bevo un caffè. Poi comincio a lavorare. Nel pomeriggio studio italiano. Nel tempo libero mi piace suonare la chitarra. La sera preparo la cena e ascolto musica. Di solito vado a dormire alle undici.

13. Italian tip of the day

Practise Italian by describing what you’re doing!

You don’t need to sit down with a textbook every time you want to practise. As you go through your day, try saying simple sentences in Italian.

For example:

• When you wake up: Mi sveglio.
• When you have breakfast: Faccio colazione.
• When you go out: Esco di casa.
• When you listen to music: Ascolto musica.
• When you go to bed: Vado a dormire.

Start with short sentences and repeat them regularly. Gradually, you’ll find it easier to build longer sentences without translating every word from English.

Congratulations!

You’ve completed Italian for Beginners — Lesson 7: Daily Routines and Everyday Activities!

You have learned how to describe your daily routine, talk about everyday activities, use common present-tense verbs, ask about times, and discuss your hobbies.

Most importantly, you can now start talking about your own life in Italian.

Keep practising a little every day. Even five minutes can help you build confidence.

Continua così! — Keep it up!

Coming next: Lesson 8 — Shopping for Food and Ordering at the Market

In our next lesson, we’ll build on your earlier shopping vocabulary and learn how to buy food, ask for quantities, talk to a shopkeeper, and use practical expressions you’ll hear in Italian markets and food shops.

Alla prossima lezione! — See you in the next lesson!

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