How to Describe a Festival in Italian: Events, Dates and Local Specialities
Learn to say what happens at an Italian festival: dates, food events, parades and traditions, using the verb 'avere' for 'we have' and the impersonal 'si' for 'people do'.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
Italian has no single word for 'festival' that covers every event. A village food festival is usually called a 'sagra', while a big cultural or musical event is a 'festival'. To describe what happens there, you will need three structures: 'avere' for what the organisers 'have' (Abbiamo una sagra del pomodoro), the impersonal 'si' for what people do (Si mangia, si balla), and time expressions with 'a' or 'in' (ad agosto, in piazza). This lesson gives you the phrases and patterns to describe any local festival clearly, without translating English word for word.
By the end, you can…
- name the type of festival and say where and when it takes place
- describe the main events using the impersonal 'si' and the verb 'avere'
- ask and answer questions about what there is to eat, see and do at a festival
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
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Abbiamo una sagra del pomodoro.
We have a tomato festival.
ahb-BYAH-moh OO-nah SAH-grah dehl poh-moh-DOH-roh
'Sagra' is the standard word for a local food festival, usually organised by a town or a volunteer group. Use 'abbiamo' when you speak for a community or family.
La festa si tiene ogni anno ad agosto.
The festival takes place every year in August.
lah FEH-stah see TYEH-neh OH-nyee AHN-noh ahd ah-GOH-stoh
'Tenersi' is the normal verb for an event taking place. Months take 'a', but 'ad' before a vowel: ad agosto, ad aprile.
Si mangiano i pomodori e si beve del vino rosso.
People eat tomatoes and drink red wine.
see MAHN-jah-noh ee poh-moh-DOH-ree eh see BEH-veh dehl VEE-noh ROHS-soh
The impersonal 'si' means 'people do' or 'you do' in general. The verb agrees with the thing: 'si mangiano i pomodori' (plural), 'si beve il vino' (singular).
C'è anche una sfilata per le strade del paese.
There is also a parade through the village streets.
cheh AHN-keh OO-nah sfeel-LAH-tah pehr leh STRAH-deh dehl pah-EH-zeh
'C'è' introduces one event; use 'ci sono' for more than one: 'Ci sono anche i concerti.' 'Paese' here means village or small town, not country.
La festa finisce con i fuochi d'artificio in piazza.
The festival ends with fireworks in the main square.
lah FEH-stah fee-NEE-sheh kohn ee FWOH-kee dahr-tee-FEE-choh een PYAHT-tsah
'In piazza' is the standard expression for the central square where public events happen. 'Finire con' means to end with something.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use the impersonal 'si' plus a third-person verb to describe what happens at an event: 'Si mangia', 'Si balla', 'Si canta', 'Si vendono i prodotti tipici'. The verb agrees with what follows: 'si vende il pane' (singular) but 'si vendono i dolci' (plural). To say what the organisers provide, use 'avere': 'Abbiamo una sagra del pesce' or 'Il comune ha una festa patronale'. For location and time, combine 'in' with places and 'a' with months: 'in piazza', 'in centro', 'a luglio', 'a settembre'. If you need to say 'there is', use 'c'è' for one thing and 'ci sono' for several: 'C'è la processione', 'Ci sono i banchi'.
When to use it
Choose 'sagra' for a local food festival tied to a town or a product, for example 'la sagra della cipolla' or 'la sagra del tartufo'. Use 'festa' for a religious or patronal celebration, such as 'la festa del patrono', and 'festival' for music, film or culture, for example 'il festival del cinema'. When you describe a programme, keep the present tense: 'La mattina c'è il mercato, il pomeriggio si gioca a carte, la sera si balla'. This is natural in Italian even for a future edition, because the event repeats every year. Add 'di solito' or 'ogni anno' to make the repetition clear.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ciao! Sai che questo fine settimana c'è la sagra del pomodoro a San Marzano?
Hi! Do you know that this weekend there's the tomato festival in San Marzano?CHAH-oh sah-ee keh KWEH-stoh FEE-neh seht-tee-MAH-nah cheh lah SAH-grah dehl poh-moh-DOH-roh ah sahn mahr-TSAH-nohDavvero? E cosa si fa esattamente?
Really? And what do people do exactly?dahv-VEH-roh eh KOH-zah see fah eh-zaht-tah-MEHN-tehSi mangiano i piatti tipici, c'è un mercato e la sera si balla in piazza.
People eat typical dishes, there's a market, and in the evening people dance in the square.see MAHN-jah-noh ee PYAHT-tee TEE-pee-chee cheh oon mehr-KAH-toh eh lah SEH-rah see BAHL-lah een PYAHT-tsahBello! E quanto costa l'ingresso?
Nice! And how much does entry cost?BEHL-loh eh KWAHN-toh KOH-stah leen-GREHS-sohA little context goes a long way
Many Italian 'sagre' are run by local volunteers, often linked to a parish or a 'pro loco', and the food is cooked by residents rather than professional caterers. Entry is usually free, and you pay for food and drinks with tokens or cash at the stands. 'Sagra' is not a synonym for 'festival': calling a small town food event a 'festival' can sound odd, while calling a major music event a 'sagra' sounds humorous. In northern and central Italy 'sagra' is very common; in some southern areas people may simply say 'festa' plus the product name.
One thing to watch for
Tradurre 'We have a tomato festival' come 'Noi siamo un festival del pomodoro'.
Try this instead: 'Siamo' means 'we are', not 'we have'. The correct verb is 'avere': 'Abbiamo una sagra del pomodoro'. If you mean the event exists in your town, say 'Nel mio paese c'è una sagra del pomodoro' or 'Si tiene una sagra del pomodoro'. Use 'sagra' for a local food festival and 'festival' for a large cultural event.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'In my town there is a fish festival in July'?
Show a sample answer
Nel mio paese c'è una sagra del pesce a luglio.
'C'è' introduces one event, 'sagra del pesce' names the food festival, and 'a luglio' gives the month. 'Nel mio paese' is a natural way to say 'in my town'; 'nella mia città' also works for a larger city.
2Turn 'Si mangia la pasta' into a plural statement about pasta dishes.
Show a sample answer
Si mangiano i piatti di pasta.
With the impersonal 'si', the verb agrees with what follows. 'I piatti' is plural, so 'mangiano' is correct. 'Si mangia la pasta' remains correct if you keep the singular noun.
3Ask a friend what people do at the festival in the evening.
Show a sample answer
Cosa si fa la sera alla festa?
'Cosa si fa' is the standard impersonal question for 'what do people do'. 'Alla festa' means 'at the festival'. You could also ask 'Cosa c'è la sera?' if you want to know what events are scheduled.
Use 'sagra' for a local food festival and 'festival' for a big cultural event; describe what happens with the impersonal 'si' (si mangia, si balla), what exists with 'c'è' or 'ci sono', and when it happens with 'a' plus a month.
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