Gaining proficiency in expressing dates in Japanese can be incredibly beneficial, whether you’re planning a trip to Japan or simply interested in the language and culture. In this guide, we’ll cover both formal and informal ways of saying dates in Japan, providing tips, examples, and even touching on regional variations when necessary.
Table of Contents
Formal Ways of Saying Dates
When it comes to formal expressions of dates in Japanese, it’s important to pay attention to the order of the elements. Dates are typically expressed as “year, month, day.” Here’s a breakdown of each element:
Years
In formal settings, years are often written in kanji characters, but it’s also common to write them using Arabic numerals. For example, the year 2022 can be expressed as:
- Kanji: 二〇二二年 (にせんにじゅうにねん)
- Arabic Numerals: ２０２２年 (にひゃくにじゅうにねん)
Tip: In Japan, the Gregorian calendar is widely used, so the year is generally the same as in Western countries.
Months
Months in Japanese are expressed using kanji characters or specific names. Here are the kanji characters and names for each month:
- January: 一月 (いちがつ)
- February: 二月 (にがつ)
- March: 三月 (さんがつ)
- April: 四月 (しがつ)
- May: 五月 (ごがつ)
- June: 六月 (ろくがつ)
- July: 七月 (しちがつ)
- August: 八月 (はちがつ)
- September: 九月 (くがつ)
- October: 十月 (じゅうがつ)
- November: 十一月 (じゅういちがつ)
- December: 十二月 (じゅうにがつ)
When stating the month, you can use either the kanji characters or the specific names stated above.
Days
Days are represented in Japanese by using Arabic numerals and adding the character for “day” (日 – にち or ひ) at the end. For example:
- 1st: 一日 (ついたち)
- 2nd: 二日 (ふつか)
- 3rd: 三日 (みっか)
- 4th: 四日 (よっか)
- 5th: 五日 (いつか)
- …
- 10th: 十日 (とおか)
- 20th: 二十日 (はつか)
- 21st: 二十一日 (にじゅういちにち)
- …
- 31st: 三十一日 (さんじゅういちにち)
Informal Ways of Saying Dates
In casual conversations, the way dates are expressed can be slightly different. Here are the key differences to note:
- Years may be expressed by using just the last two digits. For example, the year 2022 becomes “22年” (にじゅうにねん).
- Months are often referred to by their specific names rather than using the kanji characters.
- When talking about the day, instead of using the word “日” (ひ), people might use the counter “日” (にち) or simply say the number followed by “日” (にち) without any special counters.
Example: “October 5, 2022” can be expressed as “22年10月5日” (にじゅうにねん じゅうがつ いつか) in a formal context, but in an informal setting, it may become “22年10月5日” (にじゅうにねん じゅうがつ いつか) or even “10月5日” (じゅうがつ いつか).
Regional Variations
While the formal and informal ways mentioned above are commonly used across Japan, certain regions may have minor variations in their date expressions. However, these regional differences are not significant enough to cause confusion or barrier in communication.
In Conclusion
Mastering the skill of expressing dates in Japanese is invaluable for anyone interested in understanding the language and culture of Japan. By familiarizing yourself with both formal and informal ways, you’ll be equipped to navigate various contexts with ease. Remember to pay attention to the order of elements (year, month, day) and adapt your expressions based on the formality of the situation.
Whether you’re planning interactions, making appointments, or simply conversing with friends, confidently stating dates in Japanese will undoubtedly enhance your language skills and foster deeper connections with native speakers.
