Italian Time Markers: Using 'ago' (fa) and 'last' (scorso) for Past Events
Learn to say when past events happened in Italian using 'fa' (ago) and 'scorso' (last), with clear examples and practice.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Italian, to say how long ago something happened, you use the word 'fa' after a time expression, similar to 'ago' in English. To talk about 'last' week, month, or year, you use 'scorso' (or 'scorsa' for feminine nouns). This lesson will teach you how to place past events in time accurately, distinguishing between 'fa' and 'scorso' and avoiding common mistakes.
By the end, you can…
- use 'fa' to say how long ago an event happened.
- use 'scorso/scorsa' to refer to last week, month, or year.
- form simple sentences about past events with these time markers.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
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Ho visto Maria due giorni fa.
I saw Maria two days ago.
oh VEE-stoh mah-REE-ah DOO-eh JOR-nee fah
'Fa' comes after the time expression. 'Due giorni fa' means 'two days ago'.
Sono andato in Italia un mese fa.
I went to Italy a month ago.
SOH-noh ahn-DAH-toh een ee-TAH-lyah oon MEH-zeh fah
'Un mese fa' = a month ago. Use 'andato' for masculine speaker; 'andata' for feminine.
La settimana scorsa ho lavorato molto.
Last week I worked a lot.
lah set-tee-MAH-nah SKOR-sah oh lah-voh-RAH-toh MOL-toh
'Settimana' is feminine, so 'scorsa' agrees. 'Scorso' is for masculine nouns.
L'anno scorso siamo andati a Roma.
Last year we went to Rome.
LAHN-noh SKOR-soh SYAH-moh ahn-DAH-tee ah ROH-mah
'Anno' is masculine, so 'scorso'. 'Siamo andati' = we went (masculine plural).
Ci siamo conosciuti tre anni fa.
We met three years ago.
chee SYAH-moh koh-noh-SHOO-tee treh AHN-nee fah
'Tre anni fa' = three years ago. 'Ci siamo conosciuti' = we met (reciprocal).
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say 'ago' in Italian, use the time expression + 'fa': 'due giorni fa' (two days ago), 'un'ora fa' (an hour ago), 'molto tempo fa' (a long time ago). 'Fa' is invariable and comes after the time phrase. For 'last', use 'scorso' (masculine) or 'scorsa' (feminine) after the noun: 'il mese scorso' (last month), 'la settimana scorsa' (last week), 'l'anno scorso' (last year). Note that 'scorso' agrees in gender and number with the noun: 'i mesi scorsi' (last months).
When to use it
Use 'fa' when you want to say how long before now something happened, often with a specific number: 'Ho chiamato Luca cinque minuti fa' (I called Luca five minutes ago). Use 'scorso/scorsa' to refer to the immediately preceding week, month, year, etc., without a number: 'Il mese scorso ho comprato una macchina' (Last month I bought a car). Do not use 'fa' with 'scorso'; they are different: 'due settimane fa' (two weeks ago) vs. 'la settimana scorsa' (last week). Also, 'fa' can be used with 'molto' (molto tempo fa = a long time ago) but not with 'scorso'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ciao! Quando hai visto Giulia?
Hi! When did you see Giulia?CHAH-oh! KWAHN-doh ai VEE-stoh JOO-lyah?L'ho vista due giorni fa.
I saw her two days ago.loh VEE-stah DOO-eh JOR-nee fahAh, e sei andato al cinema la settimana scorsa?
Ah, and did you go to the cinema last week?ah, eh sai ahn-DAH-toh ahl CHEE-neh-mah lah set-tee-MAH-nah SKOR-sah?Sì, sono andato lunedì scorso.
Yes, I went last Monday.see, SOH-noh ahn-DAH-toh loo-neh-DEE SKOR-sohA little context goes a long way
In Italian, 'scorso' is commonly used in everyday speech, but in some regions, especially in the south, people might use 'passato' instead (e.g., 'la settimana passata'). Both are correct, but 'scorso' is more standard. Also, when referring to 'last night', Italians say 'ieri sera' (yesterday evening) rather than 'la notte scorsa', which can sound overly literal.
One thing to watch for
Using 'fa' with 'scorso', as in 'due giorni scorsi' to mean 'two days ago'.
Try this instead: 'Scorso' means 'last' and is not used with a number to mean 'ago'. For 'two days ago', say 'due giorni fa'. Use 'scorso' only for 'last': 'la settimana scorsa' (last week).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I arrived three hours ago' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Sono arrivato tre ore fa.
Use 'fa' after the time expression. 'Tre ore fa' = three hours ago. 'Sono arrivato' is for a masculine speaker; 'arrivata' for feminine.
2Translate: 'Last month we visited Venice.'
Show a sample answer
Il mese scorso abbiamo visitato Venezia.
'Mese' is masculine, so 'scorso'. 'Abbiamo visitato' is the passato prossimo. You could also say 'Lo scorso mese', but 'il mese scorso' is more common.
3What is the difference between 'un anno fa' and 'l'anno scorso'?
Show a sample answer
'Un anno fa' means 'a year ago' (from now), while 'l'anno scorso' means 'last year' (the previous calendar year).
Both refer to the past, but 'fa' counts back from now, while 'scorso' refers to the last occurrence. They are not interchangeable.
Use 'fa' after a time expression to mean 'ago' (e.g., 'due giorni fa'), and 'scorso/scorsa' after a noun to mean 'last' (e.g., 'la settimana scorsa'). Remember that 'scorso' agrees in gender and number.
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