Months in Spanish in order for beginners. Learning the months in Spanish is a simple yet important step in mastering the language. Whether you're planning to travel to a Spanish-speaking country or simply want to enhance your language skills, knowing how to express dates, holidays, or even birthday greetings can make a huge difference. In this tutorial, we'll explore everything you need to know about the months in Spanish, from pronunciation to common usage. So, let’s dive in and learn step by step!
Basic Rules for Using Months in Spanish
Now that you know the months and how to pronounce them, it’s time to learn how to use them in sentences.
1. Months Are Not Capitalized
In English, we capitalize the names of the months. However, in Spanish, they are not capitalized unless they start a sentence. This is an important difference to remember!
For example:
- English: January is cold.
- Spanish: enero es frío.
2. Definite Articles Are Not Necessary
In English, we sometimes use “the” before the name of the month (e.g., “the month of July”). In Spanish, you don’t need to use a definite article (like "el" or "la") before the name of the month.
For example:
- English: The concert is in October.
- Spanish: El concierto es en octubre.
3. Prepositions
When talking about something happening in a particular month, you’ll use the preposition "en" before the month. "En" in Spanish translates to "in" in English.
For example:
- English: I have a vacation in August.
- Spanish: Tengo vacaciones en agosto.
Talking About Dates in Spanish
Once you're comfortable with the months, you'll need to know how to talk about dates. Here are the basics of forming dates in Spanish:
1. Order of the Date
In Spanish, the order for saying dates is different from English. While English uses the format "month-day-year," Spanish uses "day-month-year."
For example:
- English: July 4, 2024
- Spanish: 4 de julio de 2024
2. Using "De" for Dates
In Spanish, when giving a specific date, you use the word “de” between the day, month, and year.
For example:
- English: March 15, 2023
- Spanish: 15 de marzo de 2023
3. How to Say “On” a Specific Date
When you want to say something happens on a specific date, use the word “el” before the date.
For example:
- English: The meeting is on May 5.
- Spanish: La reunión es el 5 de mayo.
4. Using Ordinal Numbers for the First Day of the Month
When referring to the first day of the month, instead of saying "uno," you use the ordinal number "primero."
For example:
- English: January 1
- Spanish: El primero de enero
For all other dates, you use the regular number.
The 12 Months in Spanish
Let’s start by listing the 12 months in Spanish alongside their English equivalents. Pay attention to the similarities!
| 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 |
Observations:
- As you can see, the months look and sound quite similar to their English counterparts.
- Months in Spanish are not capitalized unless they start a sentence, unlike in English where they are always capitalized.
How to Pronounce the Months in Spanish
Pronunciation is key when learning a new language. Here’s a breakdown of how to pronounce each month in Spanish:
- Enero: Eh-neh-roh
- Febrero: Feh-breh-roh
- Marzo: Mar-soh
- Abril: Ah-breel
- Mayo: My-oh
- Junio: Hoo-nee-oh
- Julio: Hoo-lee-oh
- Agosto: Ah-gohs-toh
- Septiembre: Sep-tee-em-bray
- Octubre: Ok-too-bray
- Noviembre: No-vee-em-bray
- Diciembre: Dee-see-em-bray
Months in Sentences and Context
Learning the months in isolation is great, but using them in context is even better. Here are some common sentences and phrases that will help you incorporate the months into everyday conversations.
Examples:
- Mi cumpleaños es en mayo. (My birthday is in May.)
- Vamos de vacaciones en agosto. (We are going on vacation in August.)
- La Navidad es en diciembre. (Christmas is in December.)
- La primavera empieza en marzo. (Spring begins in March.)
- El año escolar comienza en septiembre. (The school year starts in September.)
Structure Tips:
- Notice the preposition "en" is used before the month when talking about events or activities occurring in a specific month.
- Mi cumpleaños es en... is a useful phrase to know when talking about your birthday.
- Vamos de vacaciones en... is helpful when discussing travel plans.
Using Months in Sentences
Now that you know how to say the months in Spanish, let’s move on to using them in sentences. In Spanish, months are not capitalized like they are in English, unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence. Here are a few examples of how to talk about the months:
- “Mi cumpleaños es en abril.” (My birthday is in April.)
- “Vamos de vacaciones en julio.” (We go on vacation in July.)
- “La Navidad es en diciembre.” (Christmas is in December.)
As you can see, the word “en” (in) is often used before the month when talking about when something happens. Let’s explore this a bit more.
Prepositions with Months in Spanish
When talking about months, you’ll often need to use prepositions. The most common one is “en,” which means “in.” Here are some examples:
- “Voy a viajar en marzo.” (I’m going to travel in March.)
- “La escuela empieza en septiembre.” (School starts in September.)
Notice how “en” works just like "in" in English. It’s the go-to preposition when referring to months.
Talking About Dates in Spanish
To talk about specific dates, you need to know how to say the days and the year in Spanish. For example, if you want to say, “Today is April 3rd, 2024,” you would say:
Hoy es 3 de abril de 2024.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Hoy – Today
- es – is
- 3 – the day (note that you just say the number, no need to add “th” as in “3rd”)
- de – of
- abril – the month
- de – of (again, used before the year)
- 2024 – the year
Here are a few more examples of dates:
- “Hoy es 15 de mayo.” (Today is May 15th.)
- “Mi cita es el 22 de junio.” (My appointment is on June 22nd.)
- “El evento es el 10 de diciembre de 2023.” (The event is on December 10th, 2023.)
Ordinal Numbers for the First Day of the Month
When talking about the first day of the month in Spanish, you don’t use the number “uno” (one). Instead, you use the word “primero,” which means “first.” For example:
- “Hoy es el primero de enero.” (Today is the first of January.)
For all other days, you just use the regular numbers (2, 3, 4, etc.), but “primero” is special for the first day.
Months and Seasons in Spanish-Speaking Countries
Seasons vary depending on which hemisphere you're in, and Spanish-speaking countries are located in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This means that while it's summer in Spain (Northern Hemisphere) during Junio, Julio, and Agosto, it's winter in Argentina (Southern Hemisphere).
Seasons in Spanish:
- Winter (Invierno): Diciembre, Enero, Febrero
- Spring (Primavera): Marzo, Abril, Mayo
- Summer (Verano): Junio, Julio, Agosto
- Fall (Otoño): Septiembre, Octubre, Noviembre
Common Phrases with Months in Spanish
Here are some useful phrases that include months in Spanish:
My birthday is in June.
Mi cumpleaños es en junio.
We have a holiday in December.
Tenemos un día festivo en diciembre.
The event is in March.
El evento es en marzo.
I will visit in August.
Voy a visitar en agosto.
She was born in September.
Ella nació en septiembre.
The summer starts in June.
El verano empieza en junio.
These sentences show how you can easily incorporate the months into your everyday conversations.
Common Questions About the Months in Spanish
To help you feel more confident using the months in Spanish, let’s go over a few common questions and answers.
How do I ask someone about their birthday?
¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?)
How do I say my birthday is in a certain month?
Mi cumpleaños es en [mes]. (My birthday is in [month].)
How do I say "the month" in Spanish?
The word for "month" in Spanish is "mes". Plural is "meses".
How do I ask for the date in Spanish?
¿Qué fecha es hoy? (What is today's date?)
Hoy es 3 de abril. (Today is the 3rd of April.)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When learning the months in Spanish, there are a few common mistakes that beginners make. Here are some tips to help you avoid them:
- Capitalization: Remember, in Spanish, months are not capitalized unless they start a sentence.
- Using “primero” for the first day: Don’t say “uno de enero,” say “primero de enero” for January 1st.
- Pronunciation: Be mindful of how you pronounce the “r” sound, especially in words like “febrero” and “abril.” Spanish has a rolling “r” that’s different from English.
Fun Facts and Cultural Insights
Festivals and Holidays by Month:
Each month is tied to specific holidays and cultural events in different Spanish-speaking countries. Here are a few examples:
Enero: In many Spanish-speaking countries, January 6th is celebrated as El Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings' Day), when children receive gifts.
Febrero: In Spain and Latin America, February is famous for Carnaval, a lively celebration full of parades, music, and colorful costumes, similar to Mardi Gras.
Septiembre: El Día de la Independencia (Independence Day) is celebrated in several Latin American countries, including Mexico, on September 16th.
Diciembre: The entire month of December is filled with celebrations, with La Navidad (Christmas) and Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) being especially significant.
Quiz on the Months in Spanish
Now that you've learned all about the months in Spanish, let's test your knowledge! Try answering the following questions to see how well you’ve mastered this topic.
Multiple-Choice Questions:
How do you say "August" in Spanish?
A) Agosto
B) Julio
C) Abril
Which month comes after "Septiembre"?
A) Octubre
B) Noviembre
C) Marzo
In which month does "El Día de los Reyes Magos" take place?
A) Diciembre
B) Enero
C) Febrero
How do you say "My birthday is in May" in Spanish?
A) Mi cumpleaños es en marzo.
B) Mi cumpleaños es en mayo.
C) Mi cumpleaños es en julio.
True or False:
The months in Spanish are always capitalized. True / False
"Junio" and "Julio" both start with a "J" sound like in English. True / False
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
______ is the Spanish word for November.
"La Navidad" is celebrated in the month of ______.
Learning the months in Spanish is an essential building block in becoming more proficient in the language. Not only will this knowledge help you talk about dates and events, but it will also open doors to understanding cultural traditions and holidays that vary across Spanish-speaking countries. By practicing these words in context, asking questions, and engaging in real conversations, you’ll be on your way to becoming fluent in no time.
Months in Spanish: A Quick Quiz
Now that you’ve learned all about the months in Spanish, it’s time to test your knowledge with a quick quiz. Try to answer these questions without looking back at the tutorial!
- What is the Spanish word for “March”?
- How do you say “July 15th” in Spanish?
- Which preposition is used when talking about months in Spanish?
- What is the Spanish word for the first day of a month?
- In which months does spring (primavera) occur?
Answers:
- March = Marzo
- July 15th = 15 de julio
- The preposition used with months is “en.”
- The word for the first day is “primero.”
- Spring occurs in marzo, abril, and mayo.
