Days, Months, and Dates in Spanish
Spanish dates are easier than they look, because they follow one pattern. You will also notice two differences from English: days and months start with a lowercase letter, and the day comes before the month. Learn the names, then the pattern, and you can talk about any plan.
Quick answer
- Days and months are not capitalized: lunes, martes, enero, febrero
- Dates follow the pattern el + number + de + month: el 19 de octubre
- Say el before a day to mean “on”: El sábado voy al cine. (On Saturday I go to the movies.)
The days of the week
All days are masculine. In Spanish, the days are lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes, sábado, and domingo. To say “on Monday,” use el lunes. To say “on Mondays” (every week), use los lunes.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| lunes | Monday |
| martes | Tuesday |
| miércoles | Wednesday |
| jueves | Thursday |
| viernes | Friday |
| sábado | Saturday |
| domingo | Sunday |
Examples
- Hoy es martes.Today is Tuesday.No article after “es.”
- El viernes tengo examen.On Friday I have an exam.El means “on” before a day.
- Los sábados voy al mercado.On Saturdays I go to the market.Los plus a day means every week.
- ¿Qué día es hoy?What day is it today?The standard question.
The months
The months are also written in lowercase. To say “in May,” use en mayo.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| enero | January |
| febrero | February |
| marzo | March |
| abril | April |
| mayo | May |
| junio | June |
| julio | July |
| agosto | August |
| septiembre | September |
| octubre | October |
| noviembre | November |
| diciembre | December |
Examples
- Mi cumpleaños es en marzo.My birthday is in March.En plus a month.
- En diciembre hace frío.In December it is cold.Weather with hacer.
- Viajo a México en julio.I travel to Mexico in July.En plus a month again.
How to say a date
Use el, then a number, then de, then the month. Add de and the year if you need it. Use regular numbers, such as cinco or veinte. For the first of the month, el primero de mayo is very common in Latin America, and el 1 de mayo is also fine.
To ask for the date, say ¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy? or ¿A cuánto estamos hoy?. To ask when something happens, say ¿Cuándo es?.
Examples
- Hoy es el 19 de octubre.Today is October 19.Day, de, month.
- Mi cumpleaños es el 3 de marzo.My birthday is March 3.El plus number plus de plus month.
- La fiesta es el primero de mayo.The party is on May 1.“Primero” for the first.
- Nací el 12 de junio de 1990.I was born on June 12, 1990.Add de and the year.
- ¿Cuándo es tu examen? El quince de noviembre.When is your exam? On November 15.Question and answer.
Writing dates with numbers
In Spanish-speaking countries, the order is day / month / year. So 05/03/2027 means 5 March 2027, not May 3. When you write to people in other countries, write the month with letters to avoid confusion.
Spanish around the world
- On many calendars in Spain the week starts on Monday. In Mexico, calendars often start on Sunday, but the names of the days are exactly the same everywhere.
Common mistakes
Incorrect: Hoy es Lunes.
Correct: Hoy es lunes.
Days of the week do not take a capital letter.
Incorrect: Hoy es el martes.
Correct: Hoy es martes.
After “es,” do not use el.
Incorrect: El 5 mayo.
Correct: El 5 de mayo.
You need de between the number and the month.
Incorrect: En lunes tengo clase.
Correct: El lunes tengo clase.
Use el, not en, for “on Monday.”
Remember the pattern
- Days and months are lowercase: lunes, enero.
- Say a date as el + number + de + month: el 19 de octubre.
- Use el for “on” a day, los for every week, and en for a month.
Mini practice
5 quick questions. You get feedback right after each answer.
Frequently asked questions
Are days and months ever capitalized in Spanish?
Only at the start of a sentence, or in names, such as a holiday called Cinco de Mayo. Otherwise they use lowercase letters.
How do I say ‘What is today’s date?’
Say ¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy? or ¿Qué fecha es hoy?.
Why is it ‘el primero’ but ‘el dos’?
Spanish uses an ordinal number only for the first of the month. For every other day it uses regular numbers.
How do I say a year?
Say the full number. For 2027, say dos mil veintisiete. For 1990, say mil novecientos noventa.
Ready to practice your Spanish?
Dates come up in every plan you make. Try a short, free session on numbers, days, and time.
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