Dates & Calendar
Talking about dates and using the calendar in German is essential for everyday planning, travel, and appointments. This guide covers how to say days, months, and expressions for talking about time.
Days
The days of the week in German are all masculine nouns, and they are used much like in English when scheduling or describing routines. Each day is commonly capitalized since they are nouns.
| German Word | English Word |
|---|---|
| Montag | Monday |
| Dienstag | Tuesday |
| Mittwoch | Wednesday |
| Donnerstag | Thursday |
| Freitag | Friday |
| Samstag | Saturday |
| Sonntag | Sunday |
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌞 Am Montag habe ich Yoga im Park. | On Monday I have yoga in the park. |
| 🍵 Dienstagabend treffe ich Freunde zum Kaffee. | Tuesday evening I’m meeting friends for coffee. |
| 🛒 Mittwochmorgen gehe ich auf den Markt. | Wednesday morning I go to the market. |
| 🎨 Am Donnerstag besuche ich einen Malkurs. | On Thursday I’m attending a painting class. |
| 🎬 Freitagabend schaue ich einen Film im Freiluftkino. | Friday evening I’m watching a movie at the outdoor cinema. |
| 🚴 Am Samstag mache ich eine Fahrradtour. | On Saturday I’m going on a bike tour. |
| 🌳 Sonntagsspaziergang im Park am Nachmittag. | Sunday walk in the park in the afternoon. |
Months
Months in German are also masculine nouns and are used to specify dates for events, deadlines, and seasons. They are capitalized and typically appear in contexts like market dates or travel plans.
| German Word | English Word |
|---|---|
| Januar | January |
| Februar | February |
| März | March |
| April | April |
| Mai | May |
| Juni | June |
| Juli | July |
| August | August |
| September | September |
| Oktober | October |
| November | November |
| Dezember | December |
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌷 Im April blühen die Kirschbäume im Park. | In April, the cherry trees bloom in the park. |
| ☀️ Im Juli gibt es ein Sommerfest auf der Wiese. | In July, there is a summer festival on the meadow. |
| 🎃 Im Oktober machen wir eine Kürbiswanderung. | In October, we go on a pumpkin hike. |
| ❄️ Im Dezember funkeln Lichter am Parkeingang. | In December, lights sparkle at the park entrance. |
Asking for the Date
To ask for the date in German, you can use simple questions that locals understand immediately, and responses usually include the day and month. This is useful at information desks or when planning.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🗓️ „Welches Datum hat das Sommerfest?“ | “What date is the summer festival?” |
| ⛅ „Fällt das Picknick auf Samstag oder Sonntag?“ | “Is the picnic on Saturday or Sunday?” |
| 📍 „Wann ist das Konzert im Rosengarten?“ | “When is the concert in the rose garden?” |
| 🕰️ „Um wie viel Uhr beginnt der Laternenumzug am 1. Mai?“ | “What time does the lantern parade start on May 1st?” |
Saying the Date
Dates in German typically follow the day-month-year format, and the day is given as a cardinal number when speaking or writing informally. The month is capitalized since it is a noun.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌸 „Das Parkfest ist am Freitag, den fünfzehnten Juni.“ | “The park festival is on Friday, the fifteenth of June.” |
| 🌇 „Der Sonnenuntergangs-Yoga-Kurs ist am Mittwoch, den dritten August.“ | “The sunset yoga class is on Wednesday, the third of August.” |
| 🎶 „Das Konzert im Rosengarten findet am Samstag, den zwanzigsten September statt.“ | “The concert in the rose garden takes place on Saturday, the twentieth of September.” |
| 🕯️ „Der Laternenumzug ist am Montag, den ersten November.“ | “The lantern parade is on Monday, the first of November.” |
Expressions for Time
Common expressions for time help place events relative to now, such as vor (ago), in (in), and seit (since), and they are used with periods like Tagen (days) or Monaten (months). These phrases are essential for describing when something happened or will happen.
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌅 „Morgens jogiere ich am Fluss.“ | “In the morning I jog by the river.” |
| 🥪 „Mittags esse ich oft auf der Parkbank.“ | “At noon I often eat on the park bench.” |
| 🌇 „Abends gibt es oft Lichtinstallationen im Garten.“ | “In the evening there are often light installations in the garden.” |
| ⏰ „Das Yoga beginnt in einer halben Stunde.“ | “The yoga starts in half an hour.” |
| 🕓 „Das Treffen ist um vier Uhr am großen Brunnen.“ | “The meeting is at four o’clock by the large fountain.” |
| 🕧 „Der Spaziergang beginnt um halb sechs.“ | “The walk starts at half past five.” |
Summary
German uses masculine nouns for days and months, asks for dates with straightforward questions, and expresses time with prepositional phrases for planning and recounting events.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025