Dates vocabulary in French, including months, ordinal numbers, and common phrases to talk about dates naturally.
In French, expressing dates requires understanding key vocabulary for months, using ordinal numbers for days, and knowing common phrases to talk about dates. This guide will introduce you to the essential words and expressions needed to confidently state and ask about dates in French.
Months
French uses 12 months just like English, but the names are different and are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. Here are the months in French with examples:
| French Singular | English Singular | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| janvier | January | Mon anniversaire est en janvier. | My birthday is in January. |
| février | February | Février est le mois le plus court. | February is the shortest month. |
| mars | March | Nous partons en vacances en mars. | We go on vacation in March. |
| avril | April | Il pleut souvent en avril. | It often rains in April. |
| mai | May | Le 1er mai est un jour férié. | May 1st is a public holiday. |
| juin | June | Les examens commencent en juin. | Exams start in June. |
| juillet | July | Juillet est un mois d'été. | July is a summer month. |
| août | August | Nous voyageons en août. | We travel in August. |
| septembre | September | L'école reprend en septembre. | School resumes in September. |
| octobre | October | Halloween est en octobre. | Halloween is in October. |
| novembre | November | Novembre est souvent gris. | November is often gray. |
| décembre | December | Noël est en décembre. | Christmas is in December. |
Days of the Month (Ordinal Numbers)
In French, the first day of the month is “le premier,” and all other days are cardinal numbers (e.g., 2, 3, 4), not ordinals. Use “le” before the number to say “the [day].”
| French | English | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| le premier | the first | Le premier mai est un jour férié. | May 1st is a holiday. |
| le | the second | Mon rendez-vous est le 2 juin. | My appointment is on June 2nd. |
| le | the third | Elle part le 3 juillet. | She leaves on July 3rd. |
| le | the fourth | Nous dînons le 4 août. | We’re dining on August 4th. |
| le | the fifth | Le 5 septembre, je voyage. | On September 5th, I’m traveling. |
| le | the sixth | Le 6 octobre est un mercredi. | October 6th is a Wednesday. |
| le | the seventh | Il est né le 7 novembre. | He was born on November 7th. |
| le | the eighth | La réunion est le 8 décembre. | The meeting is on December 8th. |
| le | the ninth | Nous partons le 9 janvier. | We’re leaving on January 9th. |
| le | the tenth | Le 10 février est un dimanche. | February 10th is a Sunday. |
Common Date Phrases
These expressions will help you form complete date sentences and ask about dates naturally.
| French | English | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quelle est la date ? | What is the date? | Excusez-moi, quelle est la date aujourd’hui ? | Excuse me, what is the date today? |
| Aujourd’hui, c’est le… | Today is the… | Aujourd’hui, c’est le 15 mars. | Today is March 15th. |
| Demain, c’est le… | Tomorrow is the… | Demain, c’est le 20 avril. | Tomorrow is April 20th. |
| Hier, c’était le… | Yesterday was the… | Hier, c’était le 10 mai. | Yesterday was May 10th. |
| Le… / Nous sommes le… | It’s the… / We are on the… | Nous sommes le 3 juin. | It’s June 3rd. |
| Mon anniversaire est le… | My birthday is on the… | Mon anniversaire est le 12 juillet. | My birthday is on July 12th. |
| La date limite est le… | The deadline is on the… | La date limite est le 30 septembre. | The deadline is on September 30th. |
Understanding these fundamental components will allow you to express and ask about dates clearly in French. Practice using months, days, and common phrases together to build confidence.
How do you ask 'What is the date?' in French?
Quelle est la date ?
'Quelle est la date ?' is the correct way to ask 'What is the date?' in French. The other options have article or gender errors.
Flashcards (1 of 29)
- English Singular: January
- English Example: My birthday is in January.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
