Learning how to express your birthdate in Spanish is not only useful for personal interactions, but it can also help you navigate various situations like filling out forms, booking appointments, or making travel arrangements. In this guide, we will explore the formal and informal ways to say your birthdate in Spanish, providing you with plenty of tips and examples along the way.
Table of Contents
Formal Expressions
Formal expressions are typically used in official settings or when addressing someone you are not familiar with. When stating your birthdate formally, you would use the following structure:
Día + de + Mes + de + Año
Here’s an example: if your birthdate is December 15, 1990, you would say:
Quince de diciembre de mil novecientos noventa.
Let’s break it down:
- Día: Quince (15)
- De: “De” means “of” in English and is used to connect the day, month, and year.
- Mes: Diciembre (December)
- Año: Mil novecientos noventa (1990)
Remember to use cardinal numbers (15) for the day and year, while using the word form for the month (December). When stating the year, it is common to split it into groups of digits.
Informal Expressions
When speaking informally or with friends and family, you can use a simpler and more casual expression to state your birthdate. Instead of using the complete structure mentioned earlier, you can opt for:
Día + de + Mes
Using the previous example, you would say:
Quince de diciembre.
Here, we omit the year, making it a more relaxed and succinct way to express your birthdate in informal contexts.
Additional Tips
1. Variation in Date Format
While the standard format is “Día + de + Mes + de + Año,” it’s worth noting that in some Spanish-speaking countries, the order of the day and month is flipped. For instance, in Mexico and many Latin American countries, you may hear “diciembre + quince” instead of “quince + de diciembre.” So, it’s essential to be aware of regional differences when communicating your birthdate.
2. Using Ordinal Numbers
When stating your birthdate, you can use ordinal numbers to give it a more formal touch. For example, instead of saying “Quince de diciembre,” you can say “El quince de diciembre,” which means “The fifteenth of December.” This adds an extra degree of formality to your expression.
3. Practice Prefixes
In Spanish, prefixes “primero” (first) and “último” (last) are used to refer to the first and last days of the month, respectively. Therefore, if your birthdate is on the first of December, you can say “El primero de diciembre.” Similarly, if your birthday is on the 31st of December, you can say “El último de diciembre.”
4. Using Prepositions
When stating your birthdate, it’s important to remember that prepositions like “en” (on) or “el” (on) are not used. For example, instead of saying “El quince de diciembre, en 1990,” you should opt for “Quince de diciembre de mil novecientos noventa.”
5. Handling Accents
Pay close attention to the accents in the months’ names. A simple wrongly-placed accent can lead to a misinterpretation of your birthdate. For example, “diciembre” (December) with an accent on the “i” is correct, while “diciembre” without an accent is incorrect. Utilizing accents is crucial to ensure proper communication.
Examples
- Formal: Veintidós de junio de mil novecientos ochenta y cinco.
- Informal: Veintidós de junio.
- Formal: El dieciséis de agosto de dos mil tres.
- Informal: Dieciséis de agosto.
Remember, practice makes perfect! Try using these examples as a starting point and practice stating your birthdate in Spanish with friends, online language exchange partners, or native speakers. The more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you’ll become.
By now, you should have a good understanding of how to say your birthdate in Spanish, both formally and informally. Remember the key elements: the day, month, and year (when necessary). Take into account regional variations, use proper prepositions, and handle accents with care. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to confidently share your birthdate in various Spanish-speaking situations.
¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)
