Geburtsdatum
[ɡəˈbuːɐ̯t͡sˌdaːtʊm]
The German word for birthdate is Geburtsdatum.
Geburtsdatum is the standard term used on official forms, documents and in administrative contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of Geburt (birth) and Datum (date).
Which one should you use?
Use Geburtsdatum for the specific calendar date (e.g., 12.05.1990) and Geburtstag for the annual celebration of one's birthday.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is neuter, so it takes the definite article das.
Did you know?
- When writing a Geburtsdatum, Germans use a dot instead of a slash or hyphen, such as 12.05.1990. This dot is not just a separator but represents the ordinal numbers '12th' and '5th'.
- The word Datum in Geburtsdatum is a direct loan from Latin, where it means 'given'. In a legal sense, it refers to the date that was 'given' or assigned to the event.
- While English uses 'birthdate' as a single word, German allows for endless extensions of this compound. For example, Geburtsdatumsnachweis is a single word meaning 'proof of birthdate'.
Examples in context
- Wie lautet Ihr Geburtsdatum?What is your birthdate?
- Mein Geburtsdatum ist der 14. Februar 1990.My birthdate is February 14, 1990.
- Wir benötigen das Geburtsdatum des Bewerbers.We need the birthdate of the applicant.
- Wann hast du Geburtstag?When is your birthday?
- Mein Geburtstag ist am 3. Juli.My birthday is on July 3rd.
- Was ist das Geburtsdatum deiner Schwester?What is your sister's birthdate?
- Das Geburtsdatum meiner Schwester ist der 12. September 1992.My sister's birthdate is September 12, 1992.
- Bitte geben Sie Ihr Geburtsdatum an.Please state your birthdate.
- Das Geburtsdatum steht im Pass.The birthdate is in the passport.
- Ich muss mein Geburtsdatum korrigieren.I need to correct my birthdate.
Example conversation
Felix is helping Hannah fill out a form at a clinic.
- FelixHannah, wo steht dein Geburtsdatum?Hannah, where is your birthdate listed?
- HannahIch glaube, es steht oben rechts.I think it is at the top right.
- FelixJa, trag dein Geburtsdatum bitte dort ein.Yes, please enter your birthdate there.
- HannahOkay, ich mache das jetzt.Okay, I am doing that now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Geburtsdatum, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Geburtsdatum, CC BY-SA 4.0.
