primero de enero
/pɾimeɾo de eneɾo/from spelling rules
January 1st in Spanish is primero de enero.
This phrase refers to the first day of the calendar year.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the date in a sentence, you must include the definite article el before the number, such as in el primero de enero. While primero is the ordinal form, it is very common in both spoken and written Spanish to simply use the cardinal number uno as in el 1 de enero when stating the date.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾimeɾo de eneɾo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the English word order (Month + Day) by saying enero primero. Instead, you must use the order of day, then de, then month.
When do people say it?
A common way to greet someone on January 1st is to say Feliz Año Nuevo.
Did you know?
- The name for enero is rooted in the Roman god of doorways and passages, Iānuus. This connection stems from the Latin word iānua, meaning 'door', symbolizing the month as the gateway to the new year.
- In some formal documents, you might see the date written as 1º de enero, where the small 'o' is an abbreviation for the word primero.
Examples in context
- El primer día de enero fue la ceremonia de inauguración.The first day of January was the opening ceremony.
- La reunión se llevará a cabo el primer día de enero, a las 9 de la mañana.The meeting will take place on the first day of January at 9 in the morning.
- Mi cumpleaños es el primero de enero.My birthday is January 1st.
- La fiesta fue el primero de enero.The party was on January 1st.
- Nos vemos el primero de enero.We will see each other on January 1st.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are planning their New Year's resolutions.
- SofíaHagamos una dieta desde el primero de enero.Let's start a diet from January 1st.
- AlejandroMe parece una buena idea, Sofía.That seems like a good idea, Sofía.
- Sofía¿Podrás empezar el primero de enero?Will you be able to start on January 1st?
- AlejandroSí, Alejandro estará listo.Yes, Alejandro will be ready.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, enero, primero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
