In the morning: mattino vs mattina

I notice that the word ‘morning’ can be spelled either ‘mattino’ or ‘mattina’.   It looks like ‘mattino’ is used when referring to a specific time in the morning, as in “delle sette del mattino”.  However when used without reference to a specific time, ‘it looks like 'mattina’ is used.  For example:  

A che ora ti alzi la mattina?

What is the grammatical rule?

Thanks

Ciao Barbara,

You've observed a common usage pattern in Italian regarding the words "mattino" and "mattina."

- "Mattino" is typically used when referring to a specific time in the morning, such as "delle sette del mattino," which means "at seven in the morning."

- "Mattina" is used when talking about the morning in a more general sense, without specifying a particular time. For example, "A che ora ti alzi la mattina?" translates to "What time do you wake up in the morning?"

This usage reflects the difference between referring to a specific point in time ("mattino") versus a more general period ("mattina"). It's a subtle but important distinction in Italian grammar and usage.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! :)