In English, the way we say or write the date is different than in Spanish. We put the month before the day and the day before the year. This can be confusing for Spanish-speakers, so here's a quick guide on how to say or write today's date in English.
How to Say Today's Date in English
To say the date in English, you need to know the names of the months and the numbers. For example, if it is the first of August, you would say “August first”. If it is the twenty-seventh of December, you would say “December twenty-seventh”.
How to Write Today's Date in English
When writing the date in English, the month always comes first, followed by the day and year. For example, if it is the first of August, you would write “August 1, 2023”. If it is the twenty-seventh of December, you would write “December 27, 2023”.
Common Abbreviations for the Months
When writing the date in English, you may see some months abbreviated. For example, instead of writing “January”, you may see “Jan.”. Here is a list of some common abbreviations for months:
- January – Jan.
- February – Feb.
- March – Mar.
- April – Apr.
- May – May.
- June – Jun.
- July – Jul.
- August – Aug.
- September – Sep.
- October – Oct.
- November – Nov.
- December – Dec.
Why is the Date Format Different in English?
The way we write the date in English is not the same as the way we write the date in Spanish. This is because of the way the calendar works. In the English-speaking world, the month is seen as the most important part of the date, so it comes first. In Spanish-speaking countries, the day is seen as the most important part, so it comes first.
Conclusion
Now you know the basics of how to say and write today's date in English. The most important thing to remember is that the month always comes first, followed by the day and year. This can be confusing if you are used to the Spanish way of writing the date, but with practice it will become second nature.
Exercises
To help you practice your English date-writing skills, here are some exercises for you to try:
- Write the date for the twenty-third of April.
- Say the date for the fifth of October.
- Write the date for the twelfth of June.
- Say the date for the twenty-ninth of November.
Answers
- April 23, 2023
- October fifth
- June 12, 2023
- November twenty-ninth