Introduction
Learning how to say the date in Brazilian Portuguese is a practical first step for beginners. Dates appear on schedules, tickets, messages, and forms. This guide explains step by step how to read, say, and write dates clearly in everyday Brazilian contexts, with vocabulary, examples, tips, and common mistakes to avoid.
Basic structure: day, month, year
In Brazilian Portuguese the most common spoken and written order for dates is day, month, year. The day is a number, the month is the month name, and the year is read as a number. The most common connector in spoken Portuguese is the preposition em or the use of ordinals for the day in formal contexts.
Vocabulary to know:
dia – day
mês – month
ano – year
Months of the year (months in Brazilian Portuguese)
Learn the month names. First appearance formatted for emphasis.
janeiro – January
fevereiro – February
março – March
abril – April
maio – May
junho – June
julho – July
agosto – August
setembro – September
outubro – October
novembro – November
dezembro – December
How to say the day number
For most conversation the day is said as a cardinal number (dois, três, vinte e um). In formal spoken Portuguese or in official announcements, people may use ordinals (primeiro, segundo), but cardinals are more common in everyday use.
Examples of day numbers:
um or primeiro – 1
dois – 2
dez – 10
vinte e um – 21
trinta e um – 31
Saying the year
Years are usually spoken as full numbers. For years in the 2000s, Brazilians commonly say dois mil e vinte e três for 2023. Shortened forms like vinte e vinte e três are less common in formal speech but can be heard in casual contexts. For beginner practice stick to full-number pronunciation.
Examples:
1990 – mil novecentos e noventa
2000 – dois mil
2021 – dois mil e vinte e um
Common spoken patterns
Here are the most natural spoken patterns for complete dates that you will hear in Brazil.
Pattern 1: day de month de year. This is clear and common.
Examples:
21 de setembro de 2024
vinte e um de setembro de dois mil e vinte e quatro
1 de janeiro de 2025
primeiro de janeiro de dois mil e vinte e cinco
Pattern 2: day slash month slash year in speech for reading forms or tickets. People will say the numbers and sometimes the month name.
Examples:
07/04/2023
sete de abril de dois mil e vinte e três
10/12/2022
dez de dezembro de dois mil e vinte e dois
Short, natural ways to mention dates
In conversations or messages Brazilians often shorten dates by omitting the year when the context is clear, or by saying the day and month only.
Examples:
Nos vemos em 15 de maio
we’ll meet on the 15th of May
A prova é dia 3
the test is on the 3rd (common in schedules)
Writing dates: formal and informal formats
When writing dates on forms or official documents, the most common format is DD/MM/YYYY. In informal messages, you may see different styles, but DD/MM/YYYY is safe for forms, tickets, and official communication.
Examples of written formats:
05/09/2024 – cinco de setembro de dois mil e vinte e quatro
31/12/2023 – trinta e um de dezembro de dois mil e vinte e três
Days of the week (helpful for schedules)
Knowing days of the week helps when dates are used with appointments.
segunda-feira – Monday
terça-feira – Tuesday
quarta-feira – Wednesday
quinta-feira – Thursday
sexta-feira – Friday
sábado – Saturday
domingo – Sunday
Examples combining date and weekday:
Reunião: 12 de abril, sexta-feira
meeting: April 12, Friday
Evento: 8 de junho, sábado
event: June 8, Saturday
Practical phrases and sample dialogues
Here are short practical sentences a beginner might use or hear.
On the phone or in person when confirming a date:
Qual é a data? – What is the date?
A consulta é dia 20 de março. – The appointment is on March 20.
Writing a message to confirm availability:
Posso no dia 14 de julho? – Can I on July 14?
Answering with a full date and year:
Sim, dia 14 de julho de 2026 funciona para mim. – Yes, July 14, 2026 works for me.
How to read dates on tickets, emails, and forms
Tickets and confirmations often use numeric formats. Read each part aloud to practice: first the day, then the month (name or number), then the year. If the month is numeric, you can still say the month name for clarity.
Ticket example:
Data: 22/08/2025
Read as: vinte e dois de agosto de dois mil e vinte e cinco
Email example:
Prazo final: 30/11
Read as: trinta de novembro (year assumed by context)
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Mistake 1: Mixing English month order with Portuguese. Remember Brazilian Portuguese typically uses day-month-year in both speech and writing.
Wrong: março 15 2024
Right: 15 de março de 2024
Mistake 2: Using European Portuguese spellings or expressions. Stick to Brazilian forms like setembro, sábado, and dois mil e …
Mistake 3: Forgetting the connectors de. Omitting de can sound abrupt in formal contexts.
Better: 5 de maio de 2023 rather than 5 maio 2023
Beginner tips for practicing dates
Tip 1: Label a wall calendar in Brazilian Portuguese and read one date aloud per day. Say the day, month, and year to build muscle memory.
Tip 2: Use simple role-play: pretend you are booking a ticket and speak the date out loud. Practice both numbers and month names.
Tip 3: When reading forms, say the month name rather than the number to reinforce vocabulary.
Useful vocabulary and short reference
Basic connectors and terms:
de – of/used between day, month, and year
em – in/on (used for months or longer periods)
hoje – today
amanhã – tomorrow
ontem – yesterday
Example sentences for quick study:
Hoje é 9 de novembro de 2024. – Today is November 9, 2024.
Amanhã é 10 de novembro. – Tomorrow is November 10.
O prazo é dia 1º de agosto. – The deadline is August 1st.
Practice exercises (self-check)
Exercise 1: Convert the numerical date 14/02/2024 into spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Expected answer: catorze de fevereiro de dois mil e vinte e quatro
Exercise 2: Read this ticket date 03/07/2025 and write how you would say it in a message.
Expected answer: três de julho de dois mil e vinte e cinco
Exercise 3: If someone writes junho, which month number is that?
Expected answer: 6 (junho is June)
Conclusion
Mastering how to say the date in Brazilian Portuguese is a practical skill that opens everyday communication. Learn month names, day numbers, and simple connectors like de and em. Practice with real examples from tickets, messages, and schedules. With the phrases and exercises here, beginners can confidently read, speak, and write dates in common Brazilian contexts.
