Segno la data dell’esame sul calendario.

Segno is the first-person singular present indicative of segnare.

So it means I mark, I note down, or I write down depending on context.

A few related forms:

• io segno = I mark
• tu segni = you mark
• lui/lei segna = he/she marks
• noi segniamo = we mark
• voi segnate = you all mark
• loro segnano = they mark

Italian often uses the definite article where English might not.

Here, la data means the date, referring to a specific date: the date of the exam.

In English, you might sometimes say just I write down the exam date, but Italian naturally says la data dell’esame.

Yes: in this sentence, data means date.

This is a very common point of confusion for English speakers because data in English usually means information. In Italian:

• data = date
• dati = data, information, figures

So la data dell’esame is the date of the exam, not the exam data.

Because Italian combines many prepositions with definite articles.

Here:

• di
  • l’ = dell’

So dell’esame is the contracted form of di + l’esame, and it means of the exam.

This kind of contraction is standard and required in normal Italian.

The apostrophe appears because esame starts with a vowel.

The masculine singular article il becomes l’ before a vowel:

• il libro
• l’esame

Then when combined with di, you get:

• di + l’esame → dell’esame

So the apostrophe is showing elision, where the vowel in the article is dropped before another vowel.

Sul is the contraction of:

• su
  • il = sul

So sul calendario literally means on the calendar.

This is natural because you are thinking of the calendar as a surface or place where you mark something.

Compare:

• su = on
• il calendario = the calendar
• sul calendario = on the calendar

Sometimes, but sul calendario is the most natural choice here.

Why?

• su suggests writing or marking something on a calendar
• in/nel suggests being in something

With a physical calendar, sul calendario is especially natural because you write on it.

With a digital calendar, nel calendario can sometimes sound possible in certain contexts, but in this sentence sul calendario is the standard, idiomatic choice.

Not exactly. Segnare is broader than simple writing.

Depending on context, it can mean:

• to mark
• to note down
• to write down
• to indicate
• to tick/check
• even to score in sports

In this sentence, segno suggests I note down / I mark the date on the calendar, not just the physical act of writing letters.

A close alternative could be annoto, but segno sounds very natural here.

This is the normal Italian order:

• Segno = verb
• la data dell’esame = direct object
• sul calendario = place/result phrase

So the structure is basically:

I mark + the exam date + on the calendar

Italian word order is often flexible, but this version is neutral and natural.

You could also move parts around for emphasis, for example:

• Sul calendario segno la data dell’esame

But the original sentence is the most straightforward.

Because the sentence refers to a specific exam, not exams in general.

• dell’esame = of the exam
• di esame would sound incomplete or unnatural here

Italian very often uses an article when talking about a specific, identifiable thing. Since the exam is a particular one, the exam, the article is needed.

Yes. A very common alternative is:

• la data dell’esame
• la data dell'esame

And another natural phrasing in Italian could be:

• la data dell’esame
• il giorno dell’esame if you specifically mean the day of the exam

But la data dell’esame is the standard way to say the exam date.

Yes. It sounds natural and correct.

It is a normal everyday sentence for talking about planning or organizing something. Italians often use segnare in this kind of context:

• Segno l’appuntamento sul calendario
• Segno la riunione in agenda
• Segno la data sul diario

So your sentence fits well with real usage.