Introduction
Learning how to say months in Brazilian Portuguese is one of the first practical steps for beginners. This guide teaches month names, simple date sentences, pronunciation tips, and common everyday uses so you can read calendars, make appointments, and understand schedules with confidence.
- Portuguese month vocabulary
- Pronunciation tips for beginners
- How to say dates: day + month
- Formal written dates: day/month/year
- How to say months with weekdays
- Talking about months: in, during, next, last
- Small talk and practical situations
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Mini practice: translate and say aloud
- Useful vocabulary and phrases
- Practice tips for real improvement
- Quick reference: one-line examples
- Conclusion
Portuguese month vocabulary
Start with the 12 month names. The first time each appears, it is highlighted.
janeiro — January
fevereiro — February
março — March
abril — April
maio — May
junho — June
julho — July
agosto — August
setembro — September
outubro — October
novembro — November
dezembro — December
Pronunciation tips for beginners
Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation is regular for month names. Key tips:
Most month names stress the second-to-last syllable: jaNEIro, feVEReiro.
Look for nasal sounds: junho has the nh sound like Spanish ñ; pronounce it like the ni in English onion but smoother.
The letter c with cedilla appears in março; say the s sound for the ç: mar-so.
Practice short repetitions: repeat each month name aloud three times focusing on stress and nasal sounds.
How to say dates: day + month
In Portuguese the common spoken and informal written order is day then month. Use numbers for days and the month name in words.
Examples:
1 de janeiro — 1 January
Example sentence: Meu aniversário é no dia 1 de janeiro. (My birthday is on January 1.)
15 de março — 15 March
Example sentence: A reunião é dia 15 de março às 10h. (The meeting is on March 15 at 10 AM.)
31 de dezembro — 31 December
Example sentence: Vamos viajar em 31 de dezembro. (We will travel on December 31.)
Grammar note: using de and no/na
When saying dates, use the preposition de between day and month: dia 5 de abril. If you include the article with months for location in time, use em + o/a contraction: em + o abril is not used; instead say em abril or no mês de abril.
Example with em: Eu viajo em abril. (I travel in April.)
Example with no mês de: Eu viajo no mês de abril. (I travel in the month of April.)
Formal written dates: day/month/year
On forms and in writing Brazilians often use numeric format day/month/year. When writing out, keep the month name or use numbers with slashes.
Numeric examples:
05/07/2025 — 5 July 2025
Sample sentence: Data do evento: 05/07/2025.
01/11/2024 — 1 November 2024
Sample sentence: Prazo: 01/11/2024.
When writing the year verbally, say the full number: 2024 is dois mil e vinte e quatro. Example: o dia 1 de novembro de 2024.
How to say months with weekdays
Combine day of the week + date for appointments and plans. First mention the weekday, then the date.
Weekday examples:
segunda-feira — Monday
terça-feira — Tuesday
quarta-feira — Wednesday
quinta-feira — Thursday
sexta-feira — Friday
sábado — Saturday
domingo — Sunday
Practical phrases:
A reunião é na terça-feira, 12 de maio. (The meeting is on Tuesday, May 12.)
Vamos sair no sábado, 20 de agosto. (We are going out on Saturday, August 20.)
Talking about months: in, during, next, last
Common prepositions and expressions for months:
em + month — in month. Example: em junho (in June).
no mês de + month — in the month of. Example: no mês de junho.
próximo/próxima — next. Example: junho próximo or more naturally em junho próximo meaning next June.
passado/passada or último/última — last. Example: abril passado or abril último. Native speakers more often say em abril with context, or abril passado for last April.
Examples:
Vou viajar em julho. (I will travel in July.)
No mês de setembro temos festas. (In the month of September we have parties.)
Agosto próximo is less common — prefer em agosto do ano que vem for next August. (in August next year)
Small talk and practical situations
Short, practical sentences you might use or hear:
Quando é o seu aniversário?
Resposta: É em março, no dia 10. (When is your birthday? It’s in March, on the 10th.)
Que mês é melhor para visitar?
Resposta: Maio é ótimo, o tempo está bom. (Which month is best to visit? May is great, the weather is nice.)
On a form: Data de nascimento: 22/04/1995. (Date of birth: 22/04/1995.)
On a schedule: Inscrições até 31 de março. (Registrations until March 31.)
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Beginner learners often make a few predictable errors:
Using English month names or spelling them with English pronunciation. Fix: say fevereiro, not febrero or february.
Omitting de between day and month. Remember day + de + month: 10 de abril.
Using incorrect gender articles with months. Months are not typically used with definite articles when saying dates. Say em março not no março.
Confusing numeric date order. Brazilians use day/month/year. When filling forms or reading dates, convert accordingly.
Mini practice: translate and say aloud
Translate these short lines into Portuguese and say them aloud. Answers follow each item in Portuguese.
My birthday is May 8. — Meu aniversário é dia 8 de maio.
The event is on October 2. — O evento é dia 2 de outubro.
Registrations end on July 15. — Inscrições até 15 de julho.
We will meet in February. — Nos encontraremos em fevereiro.
Useful vocabulary and phrases
Keep this small glossary handy:
dia — day
mês — month
ano — year
hoje — today
amanhã — tomorrow
ontem — yesterday
datas — dates
Practice tips for real improvement
Use short, targeted practice that mimics everyday situations:
Read a Brazilian calendar or digital event list and say each date aloud in Portuguese, focusing on month names.
Write a short sentence about each month: Em janeiro eu faço planos. (In January I make plans.)
Listen to simple Brazilian podcasts or announcements and pick out month names and dates.
Quick reference: one-line examples
1 de janeiro — Ano Novo. (January 1 — New Year.)
12 de fevereiro — Carnaval costuma ser em fevereiro. (Carnival often takes place in February.)
21 de abril — feriado em algumas cidades. (April 21 — holiday in some cities.)
Conclusion
Mastering month names and basic date sentences in Brazilian Portuguese gives you immediate practical power for scheduling, reading forms, and everyday conversation. Focus on correct month vocabulary, the day + de + month pattern, and listening practice. With short daily drills you will quickly feel comfortable using months in real situations.
