FastItalian Learning
Phrases › Talking About Weather › Aprile, dolce dormire! Non si capisce mai il tempo.
B1informal

Aprile, dolce dormire! Non si capisce mai il tempo.

April, sweet sleeping! The weather is never predictable.

Pronunciation

'Aprile' — a-PRI-le. Stress on the second syllable. 'Dormire' — dor-MI-re, stress on the second.

When to use it

Use in April when weather is unpredictable — switching between sun, rain, and cold. Quoting this proverb shows cultural knowledge and generates instant recognition.

What it means

'Aprile, dolce dormire' is part of an Italian proverb: 'Marzo, pazzerello; aprile, dolce dormire; maggio, fai quel che ti pare e piace' (March, little madman; April, sweet sleeping; May, do whatever you like and enjoy). April weather is capricious and dreamlike.

Variations

La primavera è pazza.

Spring is crazy.

Direct observation — spring weather is unpredictable and moody

Non ci si può fidare del tempo a questa stagione.

You can't trust the weather at this time of year.

General seasonal caution — applies to both spring and autumn

Un giorno estate, un giorno inverno.

One day summer, one day winter.

Vivid contrast — captures the extreme variability of transitional seasons

Mini Dialogue

— Ieri sole, oggi pioggia, domani chissà. — Aprile, dolce dormire! Non si capisce mai il tempo. — Già. Stamattina sono uscita senza ombrello. — Eh, in aprile l'ombrello si porta sempre.

— Yesterday sun, today rain, tomorrow who knows. — April, sweet sleeping! The weather is never predictable. — Indeed. This morning I went out without an umbrella. — Well, in April you always take the umbrella.

Cultural Note

Italian proverbs about weather ('proverbi meteorologici') are deeply embedded in the culture — passed down through generations and quoted naturally in conversation. They represent accumulated folk wisdom from an agricultural society.