Saturday in Italian: sabato
Pronounced SAH-bah-toh — literally “Sabbath day”.
Saturday in Italian at a Glance
| Italian word | sabato |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | SAH-bah-toh (sa·ba·to) |
| Literal meaning | Sabbath day |
| Abbreviation | sab. |
From Latin sabbatum, the Hebrew Sabbath borrowed through Greek. Italian replaced “Saturn's day” (preserved in English Saturday) with the biblical rest-day name.
How to Pronounce sabato
SAH-bah-toh — syllable by syllable: sa·ba·to.
- The accent on -dì days is written and mandatory: the stress falls on that final ì.
- Italian vowels are pure and crisp — no gliding as in English.
- Double consonants (as in mercoledì's single ones vs. settimana's tt) are held longer — listen for the difference.
Example Sentences with sabato
How to Say “Happy Saturday” in Italian
“Buon sabato!” is warm, natural Italian — you'll see it in morning texts and all over social media, often expanded to “Buon sabato a tutti!” (Happy Saturday, everyone!).
All 7 Days of the Week in Italian
Italian preserves the Roman planetary week beautifully: lunedì through venerdì are the days of the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus, each ending in -dì (from Latin dies, “day”). The weekend turned Christian: sabato from the Sabbath, domenica from “the Lord's day”. The week starts on Monday.
| English | Italian | Pronunciation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | lunedì | loo-neh-DEE | |
| Tuesday | martedì | mar-teh-DEE | |
| Wednesday | mercoledì | mehr-koh-leh-DEE | |
| Thursday | giovedì | joh-veh-DEE | |
| Friday | venerdì | veh-nehr-DEE | |
| Saturday | sabato | SAH-bah-toh | |
| Sunday | domenica | doh-MEH-nee-kah |
See the full guide: Days of the Week in Italian.
Cultural Notes: Saturday in Italian-Speaking Countries
Stress the first syllable — SA-ba-to, never sa-BA-to. The passeggiata del sabato (Saturday evening stroll) remains a small-town Italian institution: dress up, walk the corso, be seen.
Did You Know?
From Latin sabbatum, the Hebrew Sabbath borrowed through Greek. Italian replaced “Saturn's day” (preserved in English Saturday) with the biblical rest-day name. Curious how English got its name for Saturday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use sabato in a Sentence
For one specific day, use no preposition: Ci vediamo sabato = See you (on) Saturday. Adding the article makes it habitual: il sabato = every Saturday. Six days are masculine; only domenica is feminine (la domenica).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Saturday in Italian?
Saturday in Italian is sabato, pronounced “SAH-bah-toh”. It literally means “Sabbath day”.
What does sabato mean in English?
From Latin sabbatum, the Hebrew Sabbath borrowed through Greek. Italian replaced “Saturn's day” (preserved in English Saturday) with the biblical rest-day name.
How do you pronounce sabato?
It's pronounced “SAH-bah-toh” — broken into syllables: sa·ba·to. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
How do you say “Happy Saturday” in Italian?
Buon sabato!. “Buon sabato!” is warm, natural Italian — you'll see it in morning texts and all over social media, often expanded to “Buon sabato a tutti!” (Happy Saturday, everyone!).
How is Saturday abbreviated in Italian?
Saturday (sabato) is abbreviated sab. on Italian calendars and schedules.
Is sabato capitalized in Italian?
No — Italian weekday names are lowercase: sabato, never Sabato (except at the start of a sentence).
What gender is sabato?
Sabato is masculine: il sabato, like every Italian day except la domenica.
How do you say “today is Saturday” in Italian?
Oggi è sabato.