Learning how to say the day and date in French is an important skill that can come in handy in various situations, whether you are visiting a French-speaking country or simply conversing with French-speaking friends or colleagues. In this guide, we will cover both the formal and informal ways of expressing the day and date in French, helping you navigate your way through the French calendar with ease. We will also provide you with some helpful tips and plenty of examples to ensure you grasp the concept effectively.
Table of Contents
Formal Ways to Say the Day and Date
When it comes to formal settings, such as in business or academic environments, it is important to use the appropriate language to convey a sense of professionalism. Here are the formal ways to express the day and date in French:
The Day
The days of the week in French are:
- Lundi – Monday
- Mardi – Tuesday
- Mercredi – Wednesday
- Jeudi – Thursday
- Vendredi – Friday
- Samedi – Saturday
- Dimanche – Sunday
When mentioning the day of the week, you can simply use the word without any additional preposition or article. For example:
Mercredi est mon jour préféré. – Wednesday is my favorite day.
The Date
To express the date in a formal way, you follow a specific structure:
Le [day] [month] [year]
Let’s break down each component:
- The day: You usually state the day using ordinal numbers. For example:
Aujourd’hui, nous sommes le premier juin. – Today is the first of June.
- The month: The names of the months in French are straightforward and similar to the English names. For example:
Le dix septembre, je vais en France. – On the tenth of September, I am going to France.
- The year: In French, the year is simply stated with the cardinal number. For example:
Le vingt et un juillet deux mille trente-cinq. – On the twenty-first of July, two thousand thirty-five.
Combining these elements, you can now confidently express the date in a formal manner in French.
Informal Ways to Say the Day and Date
French, like any other language, also has more informal ways of expressing the day and date. These might be used in casual conversations among friends, family, or colleagues. Here are some examples:
The Day
Informally, you can use the same days of the week as in formal settings. However, you might add a slight variation, by using the definite article “le” before the day. For example:
Le lundi, je vais au cinéma. – On Mondays, I go to the cinema.
The Date
When talking informally about the date, you can use a simpler structure compared to the formal one:
[Day] [month]
For example:
Demain, c’est le vingt. – Tomorrow is the twentieth.
Tips for Perfecting Your French Day and Date Expressions
Here are some tips to help you improve your command of French day and date expressions:
- Practice Using the Vocabulary: Repeatedly using the French words for the days of the week and months will help solidify them in your memory.
- Listen and Repeat: A great way to improve your pronunciation is by listening to native French speakers and repeating what they say.
- Pay Attention to Gender: Remember that the days of the week and months in French have gender (masculine or feminine). Make sure to use the appropriate articles and agreement when necessary.
- Get Familiar with Ordinal Numbers: Practice using ordinal numbers to express the day of the month. For example, “le premier” for the first, “le cinquième” for the fifth, and so on.
By incorporating these tips into your language learning journey, you’ll soon find yourself confidently expressing the day and date in French!
Conclusion
Now that you have learned the formal and informal ways to say the day and date in French, you are well-equipped to navigate French calendars and engage in conversations with native French speakers. Remember to practice regularly, pay attention to gender agreements, and familiarize yourself with ordinal numbers to improve your fluency.
