Japanese grammar · ≈ JLPT N5 · Beginner 1

〜月〜日~gatsu ~nichi

month and day

Use 「〜月〜日」 to say a calendar date, putting the month before the day.

How it works

Look at the calendar: Japanese dates give the month first, then the day. The picture shows January 10th.
To name a month of the year, add 「がつ」 after the number, as in 「いちがつ」.
Remember April, July and September in particular. Read the words in the picture aloud and notice how the numbers are pronounced.
Many calendar days have special readings. First get familiar with these three in the picture, then listen to the examples that follow.
Add 「です」 after the date to make a sentence, such as 「1月10日です」.
To say when your birthday is, use 「私の誕生日は1月10日です」: “My birthday is January 10th.”
In the example, 「10日」 is read 「とおか」. You cannot simply add 「にち」 to the number and say 「じゅうにち」.
In the birthday conversation, 「二日」 is read 「ふつか」 and 「二十日」 is read 「はつか」. Learn each as a whole word.

Level 1 · Recognise
Which sentence is correct?
Level 1 · Recognise
Listen and choose the meaning
Level 2 · Build
Put the words in order
My father's birthday is March 3rd.
Level 3 · Use
What goes in the blank?
父の誕生日は 6 です。
My father's birthday is June 20th.