Bonjour! If you are learning French, knowing how to say the full date is essential for everyday communication, whether it’s writing letters, scheduling appointments, or simply talking about the date. In this guide, we will show you how to express the date in both formal and informal contexts in French. We’ll also cover any regional variations, where necessary. Let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
Formal Expressions of the Date
When it comes to formal situations, such as official documents, business meetings, or formal letters, it’s important to use the appropriate language to express the date. Here’s how to do it:
1. Months
In French, the months are not capitalized like in English. Here is the list of months in French:
- janvier (January)
- février (February)
- mars (March)
- avril (April)
- mai (May)
- juin (June)
- juillet (July)
- août (August)
- septembre (September)
- octobre (October)
- novembre (November)
- décembre (December)
2. Days of the Week
The days of the week are not capitalized either. Here are the days of the week in French:
- lundi (Monday)
- mardi (Tuesday)
- mercredi (Wednesday)
- jeudi (Thursday)
- vendredi (Friday)
- samedi (Saturday)
- dimanche (Sunday)
3. Writing the Date
To write the full date in French, you typically follow the format “day + le + cardinal number + month + year.”
Example: Aujourd’hui, nous sommes le trois janvier deux mille vingt-deux.
(Today, it is the third of January, two thousand twenty-two.)
Notice how the numbers are written as cardinal numbers (trois, deux) rather than ordinals (troisième, deuxième). Months are also expressed in lowercase, unlike in English.
Informal Expressions of the Date
When it comes to informal situations, such as chatting with friends or casual conversations, French speakers often use a different format to express the date. Let’s take a look at the most commonly used expressions:
1. Days and Months
In informal contexts, French speakers typically use the cardinal numbers for the day, followed by the preposition “de” (of), and then the full name of the month.
Example: On est le quatre avril aujourd’hui.
(Today is the fourth of April.)
As you can see, this format is more straightforward and easier to remember in casual conversations.
2. Simplifying the Year
In informal conversation, it is common to skip mentioning the year if it’s clear from the context or if it’s the current year. Simply stating the day and month is often sufficient.
Example: Mon anniversaire, c’est le vingt-cinq novembre.
(My birthday is on the twenty-fifth of November.)
In this example, the year is omitted as it is understood that the speaker is referring to the present year.
Summary
To summarize, when expressing the full date in French, use formal language for official or formal contexts. Follow the format “day + le + cardinal number + month + year.” Remember, months and days of the week are not capitalized in French. In informal situations, the format is more relaxed, typically using the cardinal number for the day, followed by “de” and the month. Omitting the year is common in casual conversations, when it’s already understood or not crucial to the context.
Learning to express the full date in French will greatly assist you in your language journey and make your interactions with French speakers smoother. Practice using both the formal and informal expressions to become confident in discussing the date in various settings. Bonne chance!
