The French months of the year are:
- janvier (January)
- février (February)
- mars (March)
- avril (April)
- mai (May)
- juin (June)
- juillet (July)
- août (August)
- septembre (September)
- octobre (October)
- novembre (November)
- décembre (December)
They are all masculine nouns (le mois) and used without capitalization except at the start of a sentence.
Origins and Meanings
French month names, like English, derive from Latin, reflecting Roman gods, emperors, and seasonal markers:
- janvier: From Ianuarius, after Janus, god of doors and beginnings.
- février: From Februarius, the purification month.
- mars: After Mars, god of war.
- avril: From Aprilis, likely linked to aperire ("to open"), for spring buds.
- mai: After Maia, a fertility goddess.
- juin: From Iunius, for Juno, goddess of marriage and childbirth.
- juillet: From Julius (July), for Julius Caesar.
- août: From Augustus (August), for Emperor Augustus.
- septembre: From septem (seven).
- octobre: From octo (eight).
- novembre: From novem (nine).
- décembre: From decem (ten).
juillet and août are named after Roman figures Julius Caesar and Augustus.
septembre, octobre, novembre, and décembre come from Latin for seven, eight, nine, ten.
Usage in Context
In French, months:
- Are not capitalized: "en janvier," not "en Janvier."
- Are used with en for months/seasons ("en mars" = in March).
- Are introduced by le for dates ("le 5 avril" = April 5th).
- Month + year often uses just the month and number: "avril 2024."
Example:
- Je suis né en juillet. (I was born in July.)
- La réunion est prévue pour le 20 septembre. (The meeting is scheduled for September 20th.)
'In March' is 'en mars' in French.
'le 14 juillet' is correct; others are incorrect.
Conclusion
The French months capture Roman heritage and are key for dating and scheduling. Correct usage means no capitalization and knowing the right prepositions for time expressions.
- French months mirror Latin origins found in English.
- Use "en" for months in general, "le" for specific dates.
- No capitalization of months in French unless at the sentence start.
The month 'mai' is named after the goddess Maia.
March to June in French are mars, avril, mai, juin.