How to Describe Holiday Food Traditions in Italian: Say What You Eat and When
Learn to talk about holiday food customs in Italian using the present tense, 'di solito', and 'il giorno di'. Build natural sentences like 'A Natale mangiamo il panettone'.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
In this lesson you will learn to describe a holiday food tradition in Italian, such as what your family eats on a particular holiday. The key is not just naming a dish, but saying when and with whom you eat it. Italian uses the present tense for recurring customs: 'A Natale mangiamo il panettone' means 'At Christmas we eat panettone'. You will also use time expressions like 'di solito' (usually), 'il giorno di' (on the day of), and 'per' (for) to explain the occasion. By the end, you will be able to say what you eat, when you eat it, and who you share it with.
By the end, you can…
- name a holiday food tradition in Italian using the present tense.
- specify when the tradition happens with expressions like 'a Natale', 'il giorno del Ringraziamento', and 'di solito'.
- ask and answer simple questions about what someone eats on a holiday.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
A Natale mangiamo il panettone.
At Christmas we eat panettone.
ah nah-TAH-leh mahn-JAH-moh eel pah-net-TOH-neh
Use 'a' with most holidays: a Natale, a Pasqua. 'Mangiamo' is the noi form of mangiare.
Il giorno del Ringraziamento mangiamo il tacchino.
On Thanksgiving Day we eat turkey.
eel JOR-noh del reen-grah-tsyah-MEN-toh mahn-JAH-moh eel tahk-KEE-noh
Thanksgiving is not an Italian holiday, but you can describe it with 'il giorno del Ringraziamento'. 'Del' combines di + il.
Di solito facciamo un pranzo speciale.
Usually we have a special lunch.
dee SOH-lee-toh fah-CHAH-moh oon PRAHN-tsoh speh-CHAH-leh
'Di solito' means 'usually' and is very common for recurring traditions. 'Facciamo' is the noi form of fare.
Per Pasqua prepariamo la colomba.
For Easter we prepare colomba.
pehr PAHS-kwah preh-pah-RYAH-moh lah kohl-LOHM-bah
'Per' introduces the occasion. 'Prepariamo' is the noi form of preparare.
Cosa mangiate a Capodanno?
What do you (plural) eat on New Year's Eve?
KOH-zah mahn-JAH-teh ah kah-poh-DAHN-noh
Use 'mangiate' for voi (you plural). For informal singular, 'Cosa mangi a Capodanno?'. Capodanno is New Year's Eve/Day.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To describe a tradition, use the present tense with a time expression: [Time expression] + [verb in noi form] + [food]. For example: 'A Natale mangiamo il panettone.' 'Il giorno del Ringraziamento mangiamo il tacchino.' 'Per Pasqua prepariamo la colomba.' The noi form (we) is the most natural for family traditions. Regular -are verbs end in -iamo: mangiamo, prepariamo. 'Fare' is irregular: its noi form is facciamo. Remember that 'a' is used with most holiday names, but 'il giorno di' is used for specific days like 'il giorno di Natale'.
When to use it
Use these patterns when talking about recurring customs, not one-time events. If you want to say 'usually', add 'di solito' at the beginning or end: 'Di solito mangiamo il tacchino.' To ask about someone else's tradition, use 'Cosa mangiate...?' or 'Cosa mangia la tua famiglia...?'. For a more general statement, you can use the impersonal 'si mangia': 'A Natale si mangia il panettone.' This is common in writing and in more general statements. In casual conversation, the noi form is more personal.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Cosa mangiate di solito a Natale?
What do you usually eat at Christmas?KOH-zah mahn-JAH-teh dee SOH-lee-toh ah nah-TAH-lehDi solito mangiamo il panettone e il torrone.
Usually we eat panettone and torrone.dee SOH-lee-toh mahn-JAH-moh eel pah-net-TOH-neh eh eel tohr-ROH-nehE il giorno del Ringraziamento? Cosa mangiate?
And on Thanksgiving Day? What do you eat?eh eel JOR-noh del reen-grah-tsyah-MEN-toh KOH-zah mahn-JAH-tehMangiamo il tacchino con la famiglia.
We eat turkey with the family.mahn-JAH-moh eel tahk-KEE-noh kohn lah fah-MEEL-yahA little context goes a long way
In Italy, holiday food traditions are strongly regional. For example, panettone is typical of Milan but eaten nationwide at Christmas, while pandoro is popular in Verona and beyond. At Easter, colomba is common, but many families also eat lamb. 'Il giorno del Ringraziamento' is not an Italian holiday, so some Italians may not immediately connect the word 'tacchino' with that occasion; you can explain it as 'la festa americana del Ringraziamento'. When talking about Italian holidays, use 'a Natale', 'a Pasqua', 'a Capodanno'. For 'Ferragosto' (August 15), say 'a Ferragosto'. Regional terms for dishes vary, so it is fine to ask 'Come si chiama questo piatto?'
One thing to watch for
Using 'in' with holidays, as in 'in Natale mangiamo il panettone'.
Try this instead: Use 'a' for most holidays: 'a Natale', 'a Pasqua', 'a Capodanno'. For a specific day, use 'il giorno di': 'il giorno di Natale'. Exception: 'per Natale' can mean 'for Christmas' when talking about preparation or gifts, e.g., 'Cosa hai comprato per Natale?'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'On Easter we eat lamb' in Italian?
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A Pasqua mangiamo l'agnello.
'A Pasqua' is the correct time expression. 'Mangiamo' is the noi form of mangiare. 'L'agnello' means lamb. You could also say 'Di solito a Pasqua mangiamo l'agnello' to add 'usually'.
2Translate: 'What do you (plural) usually eat on New Year's Eve?'
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Cosa mangiate di solito a Capodanno?
'Mangiate' is the voi form. 'Di solito' means usually. 'A Capodanno' means on New Year's Eve. You could also ask 'Cosa si mangia a Capodanno?' using the impersonal form.
3Fill in the blank with the correct form of fare: 'Il giorno del Ringraziamento noi ___ un pranzo speciale.'
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facciamo
The subject 'noi' requires the noi form 'facciamo'. The full sentence is 'Il giorno del Ringraziamento noi facciamo un pranzo speciale.' You could also omit 'noi' because the verb ending already shows the subject.
To describe a holiday food tradition in Italian, use the present tense with a time expression: 'A Natale mangiamo il panettone.' Use 'di solito' for 'usually' and 'il giorno di' for specific days. Remember 'a' with most holidays, and use the noi form for family customs.
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