Are you baffled by the unfamiliar date formats in Spanish? Don’t worry, because mastering the art of writing dates in this enchanting language is not as daunting as it may seem. Embark on a linguistic adventure as we unveil the secrets of Spanish date formatting, equipping you to navigate conversations, documents, and daily interactions with Spanish-speaking individuals.
In the tapestry of Spanish date writing, the use of cardinal numbers for both the day and the year is a distinctive thread. Days of the month, from 1st to 31st, are written as numerals (e.g., 1, 2, 3). Years, too, follow this numerical convention, without the need for punctuation (e.g., 2023). However, the dance of numbers and words takes a graceful turn when it comes to months. The first day of each month is written entirely in words (e.g., primero de enero). From the 2nd onwards, only the ordinal number is used (e.g., 2 de enero). This nuanced interplay of words and numbers adds a touch of elegance to the Spanish date format.
The placement of prepositions in Spanish dates is a subtle yet crucial element. The preposition “de” (of) plays a pivotal role in connecting the day and the month (e.g., 2 de enero). Additionally, the preposition “en” (in) is often employed when specifying the year (e.g., en 2023). These prepositions serve as grammatical scaffolding, ensuring clarity and precision in Spanish date writing. Once you master these prepositional nuances, you’ll be able to express dates in Spanish with confidence, whether you’re scheduling appointments, writing letters, or simply engaging in conversations.
Introduction to Spanish Date Format
Mastering the intricacies of Spanish date format is crucial for effective communication in Spanish-speaking environments. Unlike the commonly used mm/dd/yyyy format in English, Spanish employs a unique structure that prioritizes the day, followed by the month, and concluding with the year. This structure is widely prevalent across all Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain, Mexico, and Argentina.
The Curious Case of Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers
One of the distinctive features of Spanish date formatting lies in its use of both cardinal and ordinal numbers. Cardinal numbers, such as uno (one), dos (two), and diez (ten), denote specific numerical values. Ordinal numbers, on the other hand, indicate the order or position of a day within a month. They are formed by adding the suffix “-o” to cardinal numbers, resulting in words like primero (first), segundo (second), and décimo (tenth). The appropriate usage of these numbers depends on the specific date being expressed.
| Cardinal Number | Ordinal Number |
|---|---|
| uno | primero |
| dos | segundo |
| diez | décimo |
Writing the Day of the Month
In Spanish, ordinal numbers are used to refer to the day of the month. The ordinal numbers in Spanish generally end in -o for masculine and -a for feminine. For example, el uno means “the first,” while la primera means “the first.” When indicating the date, the day of the month is typically followed by the month.
Specific Rules for Days Ending in 1
When the day of the month ends in 1, the ordinal number is formed by adding -er to the number. For example, the 1st is el primero, the 21st is el veintiuno, and the 31st is el treinta y uno.
| Number | Ordinal Number |
|—|—|
| 1 | el primero |
| 2 | el dos |
| 3 | el tres |
| 4 | el cuatro |
| 5 | el cinco |
| 6 | el seis |
| 7 | el siete |
| 8 | el ocho |
| 9 | el nueve |
| 10 | el diez |
| 11 | el once |
| 12 | el doce |
| 13 | el trece |
| 14 | el catorce |
| 15 | el quince |
| 16 | el dieciséis |
| 17 | el diecisiete |
| 18 | el dieciocho |
| 19 | el diecinueve |
| 20 | el veinte |
| 21 | el veintiuno |
| 22 | el veintidos |
| 23 | el veintitrés |
| 24 | el veinticuatro |
| 25 | el veinticinco |
| 26 | el veintiséis |
| 27 | el veintisiete |
| 28 | el veintiocho |
| 29 | el veintinueve |
| 30 | el treinta |
| 31 | el treinta y uno |
Writing the Month
Spanish uses the same format as English for the month, but there are some changes needed to the spelling. Below are the months of the year in Spanish.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| January | enero |
| February | febrero |
| March | marzo |
| April | abril |
| May | mayo |
| June | junio |
| July | julio |
| August | agosto |
| September | septiembre |
| October | octubre |
| November | noviembre |
| December | diciembre |
Months are often abbreviated using the first three letters, with a period after them. For example, “January” is “ene.” in abbreviation. Abbreviated months are commonly followed by the day of the month and then the year.
Writing the Year
In Spanish, the year is written in four digits. There is no special punctuation between the digits.
For example:
Ordinal Numbers for Years (Ending in -1, -2, or -3)
When writing years that end in -1, -2, or -3, the ordinal number suffix is added to the last digit.
| Year | Ordinal Number | Spanish Year |
|---|---|---|
| Last two digits end in 1 | ° | 1er |
| Last two digits end in 2 | º | 2º |
| Last two digits end in 3 | er | 3er |
For example:
Special Case: First Year of the Century
The first year of a century is written as the number 1, followed by the ordinal suffix for the century.
For example:
Using Cardinals vs. Ordinals for Dates
In Spanish, cardinals are used for specific dates, while ordinals are used for general dates or when referring to the day of the week.
Cardinals
Cardinals are used when specifying a particular day of the month. For example, to say “the fifth of May,” you would use “el cinco de mayo.”
Ordinals
Ordinals are used when referring to general dates or when specifying the day of the week. For example, to say “the first day of the month,” you would use “el primer día del mes.” Similarly, to say “Monday,” you would use “el lunes.”
Days of the Week
| Day | Ordinal |
|---|---|
| Monday | El lunes |
| Tuesday | El martes |
| Wednesday | El miércoles |
| Thursday | El jueves |
| Friday | El viernes |
| Saturday | El sábado |
| Sunday | El domingo |
Months of the Year
| Month | Cardinal |
|---|---|
| January | Enero |
| February | Febrero |
| March | Marzo |
| April | Abril |
| May | Mayo |
| June | Junio |
| July | Julio |
| August | Agosto |
| September | Septiembre |
| October | Octubre |
| November | Noviembre |
| December | Diciembre |
Formatting Dates with Prepositions
When using prepositions to format dates in Spanish, there are a few key rules to follow. First, the preposition “de” is used to indicate the month. Second, the preposition “del” is used to indicate the year. Third, the preposition “a” is used to indicate a range of dates.
Using “de”
The preposition “de” is used to indicate the month. It is placed before the name of the month, which is written in lowercase. For example:
Julio de 2023
Using “del”
The preposition “del” is used to indicate the year. It is placed before the year, which is written in digits. For example:
El 15 de marzo del 2023
Using “a”
The preposition “a” is used to indicate a range of dates. It is placed between the two dates, which are written in digits. For example:
Del 15 al 30 de marzo de 2023
In addition to these basic rules, there are a few other things to keep in mind when formatting dates with prepositions in Spanish.
- The preposition “en” is sometimes used before the year, especially when the year is part of a larger phrase. For example:
En el año 2023
- The preposition “para” is sometimes used before the year to indicate a future date. For example:
Viajaremos a España para el 2024
- The preposition “por” is sometimes used before the year to indicate a period of time. For example:
Trabajé en esa empresa por dos años
Preposition Usage de Indicates the month del Indicates the year a Indicates a range of dates en Indicates the year in a larger phrase para Indicates a future date por Indicates a period of time Including the Day of the Week
To include the day of the week, place it before the date. For example, to write “Monday, March 8, 2023” in Spanish, you would write:
Lunes 8 de marzo de 2023
Special Cases for the Day of the Week
There are a few special cases to keep in mind when including the day of the week:
- For dates that fall on the first of the month, the article el is used before the day of the week. For example, to write “Sunday, May 1, 2023” in Spanish, you would write:
- El domingo 1 de mayo de 2023
- For dates that fall on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. of the month, the article el is used before the ordinal number. For example, to write “Tuesday, July 19, 2023” in Spanish, you would write:
- El martes 19 de julio de 2023
7. Using Ordinal Numbers
When writing dates in Spanish, ordinal numbers are used to indicate the day of the month. Ordinal numbers are formed by adding the suffix -º to the cardinal number. For example, the ordinal number for “7” is 7º.
Here is a table showing the cardinal and ordinal numbers for the first 10 days of the month:
Cardinal Number Ordinal Number 1 1º 2 2º 3 3º 4 4º 5 5º 6 6º 7 7º 8 8º 9 9º 10 10º Writing Dates Range
For ranges of dates, simply connect the two relevant dates using the connector _**al**_.
Days of the week do not need to be included unless specifically required for clarity.
When dates fall within the same month, the month is mentioned only once:
English Spanish From January 5th to January 20th Del 5 al 20 de enero When dates fall within different months, the month is mentioned twice:
English Spanish From June 1st to July 10th Del 1 de junio al 10 de julio When dates fall within different years, the year is mentioned twice:
English Spanish From December 25th, 2021 to January 1st, 2023 Del 25 de diciembre de 2021 al 1 de enero de 2023 If the range includes the current year, _**del**_ can be used for the start date, if desired:
English Spanish From today until next Monday Desde hoy hasta el próximo lunes Examples of Spanish Date Formats
Spanish dates can be written in a variety of formats, depending on the country and the context. The most common format is the "day-month-year" format, but the "month-day-year" format is also used.
Day-Month-Year Format
The day-month-year format is the most common way of writing dates in Spanish. In this format, the day is written first, followed by the month, and then the year. For example, the date "March 8, 2023" would be written as "8 de marzo de 2023" in Spanish.
The day can be written as a cardinal number or an ordinal number. Cardinal numbers are used for specific days of the month, while ordinal numbers are used for days that are part of a series. For example, the date "March 8, 2023" could also be written as "el ocho de marzo de 2023."
The month can be written as a full name or an abbreviation. The full names of the months are:
- enero (January)
- febrero (February)
- marzo (March)
- abril (April)
- mayo (May)
- junio (June)
- julio (July)
- agosto (August)
- septiembre (September)
- octubre (October)
- noviembre (November)
- diciembre (December)
The abbreviations of the months are:
- ene. (January)
- feb. (February)
- mar. (March)
- abr. (April)
- may. (May)
- jun. (June)
- jul. (July)
- ago. (August)
- sept. (September)
- oct. (October)
- nov. (November)
- dic. (December)
The year can be written as a four-digit number or a two-digit number. The four-digit number is the most common way of writing the year, but the two-digit number is also used in informal writing. For example, the date "March 8, 2023" could also be written as "8 de marzo de 23."
Month-Day-Year Format
The month-day-year format is less common than the day-month-year format, but it is sometimes used in formal writing. In this format, the month is written first, followed by the day, and then the year. For example, the date "March 8, 2023" would be written as "marzo 8, 2023" in Spanish.
The month can be written as a full name or an abbreviation. The day can be written as a cardinal number or an ordinal number. The year can be written as a four-digit number or a two-digit number.
Other Date Formats
In addition to the day-month-year and month-day-year formats, there are a number of other date formats that are used in Spanish. These formats include:
- The short date format: This format is used in informal writing. In this format, the date is written as a two-digit number for the day, a two-digit number for the month, and a two-digit number for the year. For example, the date "March 8, 2023" would be written as "08/03/23" in Spanish.
- The long date format: This format is used in formal writing. In this format, the date is written as the day of the week, the day of the month, the month, and the year. For example, the date "March 8, 2023" would be written as "miércoles, 8 de marzo de 2023" in Spanish.
- The ordinal date format: This format is used to refer to a specific day of the year. In this format, the date is written as the ordinal number of the day, followed by the month, and then the year. For example, the date "March 8, 2023" would be written as "8º de marzo de 2023" in Spanish.
The following table summarizes the different Spanish date formats:
Format Example Day-month-year 8 de marzo de 2023 Month-day-year marzo 8, 2023 Short date format 08/03/23 Long date format miércoles, 8 de marzo de 2023 Ordinal date format 8º de marzo de 2023 Cultural Considerations in Spanish Dates
When writing dates in Spanish, it is important to be aware of certain cultural considerations that may differ from English-speaking countries.
10. Use of “De” for Days of the Month
In Spanish, it is common to use the preposition “de” before the day of the month when writing dates. This is similar to the use of “of” in English. For example, the date “June 15th” would be written in Spanish as “15 de junio.”
For dates that fall on the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd of the month, the preposition “de” is not used. Instead, the day of the month is simply written with the appropriate ending, such as “1º de enero” (January 1st) or “3 de marzo” (March 3rd).
The table below provides examples of how to write dates in Spanish using “de”:
Date Spanish January 12th 12 de enero February 22nd 22 de febrero March 11th 11 de marzo April 1st 1º de abril May 3rd 3 de mayo How to Write Dates in Spanish
Writing dates correctly in Spanish is important for effective communication. Here are the guidelines to follow:
**Day of the Week:** Write the day of the week in Spanish. For example:
- Monday: lunes
- Tuesday: martes
- Wednesday: miércoles
**Date:** Use numbers to write the date, but place the day of the month before the month. For example:
- June 15: 15 de junio
- March 8: 8 de marzo
**Year:** Write the year in full or in abbreviated form with two digits. For example:
- 2023: dos mil veintitrés or 23
- 1999: mil novecientos noventa y nueve or 99
Formatting
The following format is commonly used:
- Day of the week, date, month, year
- For example: viernes, 15 de junio de 2023
Prepositions
The prepositions used before months are:
- de (for months) – Example: 15 de junio
- en (for years) – Example: en 2023
People Also Ask
How do I write the date “May 12, 2022” in Spanish?
doce de mayo de dos mil veintidós
What is the correct way to write the date “Thursday, April 10, 1994” in Spanish?
jueves, 10 de abril de 1994
