A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Dates in French
Learning how to say the date in French is a practical skill that pops up in everyday conversation—whether you’re booking appointments, celebrating birthdays, or just chatting about the day. Luckily, it’s easy to get started once you know a few key phrases and patterns.
Asking and Giving the Date
To ask the date, use:
- Quelle est la date aujourd’hui ? – What is the date today?
To answer, you’ll say:
- C’est le lundi premier janvier. – It’s Monday, January 1st.
- C’est le deux février. – It’s the 2nd of February.
- C’est le dix-huit mars. – It’s the 18th of March.
- C’est le vingt avril. – It’s the 20th of April.
Notice how French includes the day of the week (lundi, mardi, etc.) and uses le before the date.
Cardinal vs. Ordinal Numbers
Here’s a key detail: French uses ordinal numbers only for the first of the month.
- le premier janvier – January 1st
- le premier octobre – October 1st
For all other dates, French uses cardinal numbers (two, three, four…):
- le deux juin – June 2nd
- le dix juillet – July 10th
- le dix-neuf août – August 19th
- le trente octobre – October 30th
This is different from English, which uses ordinal numbers for all dates (e.g., 2nd, 3rd, 4th). So in French, it’s le deux, not le deuxième.
Talking About Birthdays
To ask someone’s birthday:
- C’est quand votre anniversaire ? – When is your birthday?
To answer:
- Mon anniversaire est le deux juin. – My birthday is June 2nd.
- Mon anniversaire est le premier octobre. – My birthday is October 1st.
Quick Tips for Learners
- Months and days aren’t capitalized in French unless they start a sentence.
- Always use le before the date.
- Practice with real dates—your birthday, today’s date, holidays—to make it stick.
