Knowing how to express your date of birth in French is essential for effective communication in various situations, whether it’s filling out forms, introducing yourself, or simply engaging in a conversation. In this guide, we will cover both formal and informal ways of expressing your date of birth in French, along with useful tips and examples to help you communicate with confidence.
Table of Contents
Formal Expressions
When it comes to formal situations, such as official documents or professional contexts, it is important to use the correct terminology. Here are some phrases and examples to help you express your date of birth formally in French:
1. Stating the Date
In formal settings, you typically state the day, month, and year in a more structured manner.
Je suis né(e) le jour mois année.
(I was born on day month year.)
Example:
Je suis né(e) le 15 janvier 1990.
(I was born on January 15, 1990.)
2. Oral Expression
When verbally expressing your date of birth formally, you can use the following alternative phrase:
Je suis né(e) le jour de mois année.
(I was born on the day of month year.)
Example:
Je suis né(e) le 15 de janvier 1990.
(I was born on the 15th of January, 1990.)
3. Including the Location
On certain occasions, you might be required to include the place of your birth. It can be helpful, especially in official documents or when providing additional context.
Je suis né(e) le jour mois année à lieu.
(I was born on day month year in place.)
Example:
Je suis né(e) le 15 janvier 1990 à Paris.
(I was born on January 15, 1990, in Paris.)
Informal Expressions
Informal settings allow for a more casual and relaxed way of stating your date of birth. Here are some informal expressions you can use:
1. Basic Statement
When chatting with friends or acquaintances, a straightforward approach is often sufficient.
Je suis né(e) le jour mois année.
(I was born on day month year.)
Example:
Je suis né(e) le 15 janvier 1990.
(I was born on January 15, 1990.)
2. Simplified Expression
In informal situations, you can simplify the phrase by omitting unnecessary articles and prepositions.
Je suis né(e) jour mois année.
(I was born day month year.)
Example:
Je suis né(e) 15 janvier 1990.
(I was born 15 January 1990.)
Additional Tips
- When stating your date of birth, remember to use the appropriate gender agreement with “né” (masculine) or “née” (feminine) based on your own gender.
- The months in French are not capitalized, except when at the beginning of a sentence.
- When stating the day, use cardinal numbers (e.g., premier for 1st, deux for 2nd, etc.).
- Use “le” before stating the day and “de” before stating the month.
- Year can be pronounced as a four-digit number or broken into two parts. For example, 1990 (mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix) or 2005 (deux mille cinq).
- When including the location, make sure to use proper prepositions such as “à” for “in” or “au” for “at” depending on the gender of the place or country. For example, à Paris, au Canada.
- Pay attention to liaisons when speaking. For example, “Je suis né” is pronounced like “Je suis né(e)” with a liaison between “né” and “e”.
Now armed with this knowledge, you can confidently express your date of birth in French. Remember to adjust your language based on the formality of the situation and use the tips and examples provided to communicate with ease. Joyeux anniversaire (Happy birthday) in advance!
