Learning how to say the date in Filipino is a fundamental skill in any language. Whether you’re planning a trip, making an appointment, or simply want to know the current date, being able to articulate the date in Filipino can be incredibly useful. In this guide, we’ll explore both the formal and informal ways to say the date in Filipino, while also providing some regional variations when necessary. Let’s dive in!
Formal Ways to Say the Date
When it comes to formal situations, like official documents, business meetings, or academic purposes, using the standard Filipino date format is important. The formal way to say the date in Filipino follows the format: Month Day, Year. Here are some examples:
Months
Before we proceed, it’s essential to know the names of the months in Filipino. Here’s a list:
- Enero – January
- Pebrero – February
- Marso – March
- Abril – April
- Mayo – May
- Hunyo – June
- Hulyo – July
- Agosto – August
- Setyembre – September
- Oktubre – October
- Nobyembre – November
- Disyembre – December
Examples
Now let’s see some examples of the formal date format:
Marso 15, 2023 – March 15, 2023
Hulyo 2, 2022 – July 2, 2022
Nobyembre 10, 2021 – November 10, 2021
Informal Ways to Say the Date
In informal settings, such as casual conversations, among friends, or in less official written communication, Filipinos often use a different date format. The informal way to express the date in Filipino typically follows the pattern: Day-Month-Year. Here are some examples:
Examples
Let’s take a look at some examples of the informal date format:
15 Marso 2023 – March 15, 2023
2 Hulyo 2022 – July 2, 2022
10 Nobyembre 2021 – November 10, 2021
Regional Variations
Filipino is a diverse language, and regional variations exist. While the formal and informal date formats mentioned above are widely used throughout the Philippines, certain regions may have unique ways of saying the date. However, for simplicity’s sake, we will focus on the most common formats.
Tips for Saying the Date
Here are some helpful tips to remember when expressing the date in Filipino:
- Remember to capitalize the first letter of the month when writing the date.
- When stating the year, each digit is read individually. For example, “2023” is said as “dalawang libo’t dalawampu’t tatlo.”
- Dates from 1 to 10 are typically preceded by the word “ika.” For example, “ika-5 ng Agosto” means “August 5th.”
- When referring to dates before the 10th of the month, Filipinos commonly use the Spanish-influenced term “unikahapon” or “kagabi” to mean the day before. For example, “unikahapon ng Enero” translates to “January 9th.”
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve now learned how to say the date in Filipino. Whether you need to use the formal or informal date format, you’ll be able to express the date accurately in various situations. Remember the months, follow the appropriate format, and utilize the useful tips provided above. Practice saying the date out loud to reinforce your learning, and soon enough, it will become second nature. Keep exploring the rich Filipino language, and enjoy your journey of language acquisition!
