Days, months, seasons and the date
Name the days, months and seasons, say and write the date the German way (15.10.2026) and ask someone when their birthday is.
Numbers and time · Start from zero · 20 min · 20 exercises · Start from zero, Living in Germany, Goethe A1
Every appointment, every school schedule and every form in Germany needs a day and a date. The days and months look a lot like their English cousins, so this lesson is mostly about small patterns: am Montag (on Monday), im Juli (in July) and the date, which is written day first: 15.10.2026 is October 15. You will also learn to ask the most useful question of the year: Wann hast du Geburtstag?
The days of the week
- der MontagMondaythe German week starts on Monday
- der DienstagTuesday
- der MittwochWednesdayliterally: the middle of the week
- der DonnerstagThursday
- der FreitagFriday
- der SamstagSaturdaySonnabend in the north and east
- der SonntagSunday
- das Wochenendedie Wochenendenweekendam Wochenende = on the weekend
- der Tagdie Tageday
- die Wochedie Wochenweek
- heutetoday
- morgentomorrowsmall m; der Morgen is the morning
- gesternyesterday
Inside the platform every word is read aloud by a German voice.
The twelve months and their seasons
| Month | English | Season |
|---|---|---|
| der Januar | January | der Winter |
| der Februar | February | der Winter |
| der März | March | der Frühling (from March 20) |
| der April | April | der Frühling |
| der Mai | May | der Frühling |
| der Juni | June | der Sommer (from June 21) |
| der Juli | July | der Sommer |
| der August | August | der Sommer |
| der September | September | der Herbst (from about September 22) |
| der Oktober | October | der Herbst |
| der November | November | der Herbst |
| der Dezember | December | der Winter (from December 21) |
Seasons, the date and your birthday
- der Frühlingspring
- der Sommersummer
- der Herbstfall, autumn
- der Winterwinter
- der Monatdie Monatemonth
- das Jahrdie Jahreyear
- das Datumdate
- der Geburtstagdie Geburtstagebirthday
- Wann hast du Geburtstag?When is your birthday?literally: when do you have birthday?
- Welcher Tag ist heute?What day is it today?
- am Montagon Mondayam before a day
- montagson Mondays, every Mondaysmall letter, final -s
- im Januarin Januaryim before a month or a season
- im Sommerin the summer
Inside the platform every word is read aloud by a German voice.
When is your birthday?
Aylin and Finn compare birthdays after class in Dresden.
Saying and writing the date
The date is written day.month.year with points: 15.10.2026. To say it, the day becomes an ordinal number (like fifteenth): add -te to numbers up to 19 and -ste from 20 on. Today is: Heute ist der fünfzehnte Oktober (written: der 15. Oktober). On a date: am fünfzehnten Oktober (written: am 15. Oktober), with -ten or -sten after am. The point after the number is the written sign of an ordinal. Three forms are irregular: der erste (1.), der dritte (3.), der siebte (7.).
The ordinal numbers you need for dates
| Written | Heute ist ... | Wann? am ... |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | der erste | am ersten |
| 2. | der zweite | am zweiten |
| 3. | der dritte | am dritten |
| 7. | der siebte | am siebten |
| 15. | der fünfzehnte | am fünfzehnten |
| 20. | der zwanzigste | am zwanzigsten |
| 31. | der einunddreißigste | am einunddreißigsten |
am, im and the -s of habit
Copy three small patterns. am + day: am Montag, am Wochenende. im + month or season: im Juli, im Winter. A day with a final -s and a small letter means every week: montags (on Mondays), samstags. Note that German says Ich habe Geburtstag (I have birthday) where English says my birthday is: Ich habe am dritten Mai Geburtstag.
Days and dates in sentences
- Heute ist Freitag, morgen ist Samstag.Today is Friday, tomorrow is Saturday.
- Am Montag habe ich Deutschkurs.On Monday I have German class.am + day
- Montags habe ich Deutschkurs.On Mondays I have German class.every Monday
- Im Juli ist Sommer.In July it is summer.im + month
- Ich habe am dritten Mai Geburtstag.My birthday is on May 3.written: am 3. Mai
- Heute ist der zwanzigste März.Today is March 20.written: der 20. März
Day first, Monday first, and bring your own cake
A German date puts the day first: 15.10.2026 is October 15, and 10.03. is March 10, never October 3. Calendars start the week on Montag, and offices often plan by the week number (KW, Kalenderwoche). In Austria, January is called Jänner. One birthday custom surprises many Americans: at school or at work, the person who has the birthday brings the cake for everyone else. And never congratulate someone before the day: it is considered bad luck.
Days, months and seasons are all der words, so you can learn them as one family: der Montag, der Juli, der Herbst. For the date, say the number as usual and add the sound -te (or -ste from twenty): der zehnte, der zwanzigste. After am, add one more letter, -n: am zehnten.
Watch the two meanings of morgen: morgen with a small m is tomorrow, der Morgen with a capital is the morning. Do not translate in with in: it is im Juli and im Sommer, and on Monday is am Montag, not auf Montag. Finally, the written date 10.03.2026 is March 10, not October 3, so always read day, then month.
The exercises of this lesson
20 corrected exercises in two sessions (discovery, practice), including listening items read aloud by a German voice: multiple choice (4), fill in the gap (5), matching (3), sorting (2), word order (1), translation (3), find the mistake (1), gap text (1). Every answer is corrected immediately, with the rule that applies.