Italian Word of the Day: Sole (Sun)

The name we give the bright star (stella) at the centre of our solar system is the Sun (Sole) with a capital letter S.

/ˈso.le/
Italian word for sun

The word sole can be used to describe not just the star itself but also the light (sunlight or sunshine) it generates. When referring to the light, you must use the lower case s in both languages.

I bambini stanno giocando fuori al sole.

The children are playing out in the sunshine.


Below are a few common words featuring the word sole in Italian:

  • colpo di sole = sunstroke
  • occhiali da sole = sunglasses
  • raggio di sole = ray of sunshine
  • colpi di sole = highlights (in hair)
city street with sun in the background

Interestingly, many of the words in English that contain sun have no etymological relationship to the word sole in Italian. For example:

  • scottatura / bruciatura = sunburn
  • abbronzatura = suntan
  • tramonto = sunset
  • alba = sunrise (although you can say lo spuntar del sole or il sorgere del sole)

There are a number of verbs in Italian you can use to describe the manner in which the sun is shining.

  • battere = to shine (down on)
  • picchiare = to beat down
  • splendere = to shine, sparkle, gleam
sunlight inside a church

The expression prendere il sole means to get some sunshine (because you’ve been indoors for too long) or to sunbathe.

To describe a place or day as being sunny, you can use the adjective soleggiato. However, it isn’t uncommon for Italians to use the descriptor di sole or the adjective sereno (serene, calm) when talking about a sunny day.

Mi siedo sul lato soleggiato del balcone.

I’m going to sit on the sunny side of the balcony.


Oggi è una giornata di sole / serena.

Today is a sunny day.


Did you know that…?

The word sole can also function as a compliment in Italian, most notably in the phrase:

Sei bello/a come il sole! = You’re beautiful like the sun!


Ethics statement: Below you will find affiliate links. If you buy something after clicking the link, we will receive a small commission. To know more about our ethics, you can visit our full disclosure page. Thank you!

Lingopie (affiliate link) is the Netflix of language learning application that uses real TV shows and movies to help you learn a new language. You can choose a show to watch based on your fluency level, and use the interactive subtitles to get instant translations to help you learn quickly.

Are you interested in improving your Italian in a fun and stress-free manner? Then we highly recommend Serena Capilli's short stories in Italian (affiliate link), designed for beginners, advanced beginners, and lower intermediate learners (A1-B1 CEFR). These stories have been optimised for English speakers in search of a fun, laid-back learning experience! Read our full review here.


Leave a Comment