Portuguese Phrases for Telling the Date

Introduction

Learning how to express dates in Portuguese is an essential skill for anyone studying the language. Whether you’re planning a trip, scheduling appointments, or simply having a conversation about birthdays and holidays, knowing the proper phrases for telling the date will help you communicate more effectively and naturally with native speakers.

Understanding the Basic Structure of Dates in Portuguese

In Portuguese, the structure for expressing dates differs from English in several important ways. The most fundamental difference is the order of elements: Portuguese typically follows a day-month-year format rather than the month-day-year pattern common in American English.

The basic format follows this pattern: dia + de + mês + de + ano. For example, January 15, 2024 would be expressed as 15 de janeiro de 2024. Notice how the day comes first, followed by de (meaning of), then the month, another de, and finally the year.

When writing dates numerically, Portuguese uses the format DD/MM/YYYY or DD-MM-YYYY. So January 15, 2024 would appear as 15/01/2024 or 15-01-2024. This is crucial to remember when reading or writing dates in Portuguese-speaking contexts to avoid confusion.

The Days of the Week

Before diving into complete date expressions, it’s helpful to know the days of the week. In Portuguese, the days are: segunda-feira (Monday), terça-feira (Tuesday), quarta-feira (Wednesday), quinta-feira (Thursday), sexta-feira (Friday), sábado (Saturday), and domingo (Sunday).

Notice that most weekdays end in -feira. When speaking informally, Brazilians often drop the -feira part and simply say segunda, terça, quarta, quinta, or sexta. However, sábado and domingo remain unchanged.

Unlike English, the days of the week in Portuguese are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence. This is an important detail for written communication.

Using Days of the Week in Date Expressions

When you want to include the day of the week along with the date, the structure becomes: day of the week + comma + day number + de + month + de + year. For example:
segunda-feira, 15 de janeiro de 2024
sábado, 23 de dezembro de 2023

You can also say na before the day of the week to mean on that day: na segunda-feira (on Monday), no sábado (on Saturday), no domingo (on Sunday). Note that no is used instead of na for sábado and domingo because these are masculine nouns.

The Months of the Year

The twelve months in Portuguese are: janeiro (January), fevereiro (February), março (March), abril (April), maio (May), junho (June), julho (July), agosto (August), setembro (September), outubro (October), novembro (November), and dezembro (December).

Like the days of the week, months are not capitalized in Portuguese unless they begin a sentence. Many of these words are similar to their English counterparts, making them relatively easy to remember for English speakers.

When expressing a date, the month always comes after the day number and is preceded by de. You would never say just the number and month without this connecting word in formal speech or writing.

Shortened Month Names

In informal writing or when space is limited, Portuguese speakers sometimes abbreviate month names. The standard abbreviations are: jan., fev., mar., abr., mai., jun., jul., ago., set., out., nov., and dez. These abbreviated forms always include a period at the end.

However, in formal writing and spoken language, it’s always best to use the full month names. The abbreviated versions are primarily reserved for calendars, forms, and casual notes.

Asking What the Date Is

There are several common ways to ask for the date in Portuguese. The most standard phrase is Qual é a data de hoje? which translates directly to What is today’s date? This is appropriate in both formal and informal situations.

Another common way to ask is Que dia é hoje? meaning What day is today? While this literally asks about the day, it’s understood as a question about the complete date. You might also hear Quantos estamos? which is a more colloquial way of asking the date, literally meaning How many are we? This refers to which day of the month it is.

In more casual situations, people might simply ask Hoje é dia quanto? (Today is what day?). This informal phrasing is very common in everyday conversation among friends and family.

Responding to Date Questions

When answering the question about today’s date, you can respond in several ways. The most complete answer would be: Hoje é + day of the week + comma + day number + de + month + de + year.

For example:
Hoje é segunda-feira, 15 de janeiro de 2024.
Hoje é domingo, 31 de março de 2024.

In casual conversation, you might omit the day of the week or the year if it’s understood from context: Hoje é dia 15 de janeiro or simply Hoje é dia 15.

Using Cardinal Numbers for Dates

In Portuguese, dates are expressed using cardinal numbers (one, two, three) rather than ordinal numbers (first, second, third) for all days except the first day of the month. This is different from English, where we say the first, the second, the third, and so on.

For the first day of the month, Portuguese uses the ordinal number primeiro: primeiro de janeiro (January 1st), primeiro de maio (May 1st). For all other days, cardinal numbers are used: dois de janeiro (January 2nd), três de janeiro (January 3rd), vinte e cinco de dezembro (December 25th).

This means you would say quinze de março for March 15th, not the fifteenth of March. This simplification makes expressing dates somewhat easier for learners once they master the cardinal numbers.

Numbers from 1 to 31

Since dates require numbers from 1 to 31, it’s essential to know these cardinal numbers. Here are the key ones: um/uma (1), dois/duas (2), três (3), quatro (4), cinco (5), seis (6), sete (7), oito (8), nove (9), dez (10), onze (11), doze (12), treze (13), catorze (14), quinze (15), dezesseis (16), dezessete (17), dezoito (18), dezenove (19), vinte (20), vinte e um (21), and so on up to trinta e um (31).

The compound numbers from 21 to 29 and 31 use e (and) to connect twenty or thirty with the single digit: vinte e dois (22), vinte e cinco (25), trinta e um (31).

Expressing Years in Portuguese

When stating the year, Portuguese speakers typically say the full four-digit number. For example, 2024 is expressed as dois mil e vinte e quatro (two thousand and twenty-four). The word e (and) is used to connect the thousands with the remaining numbers.

For years in the 1900s, the pattern is similar: 1995 would be mil novecentos e noventa e cinco (one thousand nine hundred and ninety-five). Notice that mil (thousand) is used for one thousand, not um mil.

In casual conversation, especially when the year is clear from context, people might omit it entirely. For example, when discussing events happening in the current year, you might just say 15 de março without adding de 2024.

Decades and Centuries

When referring to decades, Portuguese uses anos followed by the number: anos 90 (the 90s), anos 2000 (the 2000s). You can also say a década de 90 (the decade of the 90s).

For centuries, Portuguese uses Roman numerals with the word século: século XX (20th century), século XXI (21st century). These are read as século vinte and século vinte e um respectively.

Talking About Past and Future Dates

When discussing dates in the past or future, you’ll need to use different time expressions. For past dates, the most common phrase is foi (it was): Foi dia 10 de novembro (It was November 10th). You can also use era for ongoing or habitual past actions.

For future dates, use será (it will be): Será no dia 20 de junho (It will be on June 20th). In more casual speech, you might hear vai ser: Vai ser dia 5 de abril (It’s going to be April 5th).

When talking about events happening on specific future dates, you can say: O evento acontecerá em 15 de agosto (The event will happen on August 15th) or A reunião está marcada para 3 de maio (The meeting is scheduled for May 3rd).

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Three essential time words are ontem (yesterday), hoje (today), and amanhã (tomorrow). These are frequently used when discussing dates:
Ontem foi dia 14. (Yesterday was the 14th.)
Hoje é dia 15. (Today is the 15th.)
Amanhã será dia 16. (Tomorrow will be the 16th.)

You can also use anteontem (the day before yesterday) and depois de amanhã (the day after tomorrow) for more specific time references.

Special Dates and Celebrations

Certain dates hold special significance and have their own expressions. For birthdays, you use aniversário: Meu aniversário é no dia 10 de setembro (My birthday is on September 10th). Notice the use of no dia (on the day) before the date.

For holidays, you might say: O Natal é no dia 25 de dezembro (Christmas is on December 25th), O Ano Novo é no dia primeiro de janeiro (New Year’s is on January 1st).

When wishing someone a happy birthday, you would say Feliz aniversário! The date phrase would be structured as: Parabéns pelos seus 25 anos! (Congratulations on your 25 years!) when you know the person’s age.

National Holidays and Commemorative Dates

Brazil has several important national holidays with fixed dates. Independence Day is celebrated on 7 de setembro (September 7th). The Day of Nossa Senhora Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil, is 12 de outubro (October 12th). These dates are so well known that Brazilians often refer to them simply by their significance rather than the date itself.

When discussing these holidays, you might hear phrases like: Vamos viajar no feriado de 7 de setembro (We’re going to travel during the September 7th holiday) or No dia 12 de outubro, as lojas estarão fechadas (On October 12th, the stores will be closed).

Writing Dates in Formal Contexts

In formal writing, such as letters, documents, or official communications, dates follow a specific format. Business letters typically place the date in the upper right corner or below the letterhead, formatted as: São Paulo, 15 de janeiro de 2024. Notice that the city name comes first, followed by a comma.

In legal documents and contracts, you might see dates written out completely in words to avoid any possibility of alteration: aos quinze dias do mês de janeiro do ano de dois mil e vinte e quatro (on the fifteenth day of the month of January of the year two thousand and twenty-four).

For document headers and official forms, the standard format remains DD/MM/YYYY: 15/01/2024. This format is used consistently across government forms, medical records, and other official paperwork.

Date Placement in Correspondence

When writing emails or letters in Portuguese, the date typically appears at the top of the message. In email, you might write: Enviado em: 15 de janeiro de 2024 (Sent on: January 15, 2024). In formal letters, the city and date format is preferred: Rio de Janeiro, 15 de janeiro de 2024.

The closing of formal letters may also reference the date: Atenciosamente, João Silva, 15 de janeiro de 2024 (Sincerely, João Silva, January 15, 2024).

Common Expressions Using Dates

Several useful phrases incorporate date expressions. When making appointments, you might say: Podemos marcar para o dia 20? (Can we schedule for the 20th?) or Está bom para você no dia 15 de março? (Is March 15th good for you?).

To ask when something happened, use: Em que data aconteceu? (On what date did it happen?) or Quando foi isso? (When was that?). To express duration between dates: De 10 a 15 de maio (From May 10th to 15th) or Entre os dias 5 e 12 de junho (Between June 5th and 12th).

When discussing deadlines, you’ll hear: O prazo é até o dia 30 (The deadline is until the 30th) or Preciso entregar antes do dia 15 (I need to submit before the 15th).

Frequency and Recurring Dates

For recurring events, Portuguese uses specific constructions. Toda segunda-feira means every Monday, while todo dia 15 means every 15th of the month. A cada dois dias means every two days.

You might also hear: Aos domingos (on Sundays, as a regular occurrence), No primeiro dia do mês (on the first day of the month), or No último dia do ano (on the last day of the year).

Cultural Notes About Dates in Brazil

Understanding cultural context around dates helps you communicate more naturally. In Brazil, punctuality can be flexible in social situations, so when someone says Vamos nos encontrar dia 15 (Let’s meet on the 15th), you might need to confirm the exact time separately.

Brazilians often use diminutives affectionately when talking about dates, especially for children’s birthdays: O aniversariozinho dele é dia 5 (His little birthday is on the 5th).

The concept of véspera (eve) is important for holidays: véspera de Natal (Christmas Eve), véspera de Ano Novo (New Year’s Eve). These eves are often celebrated as much as the holidays themselves.

Business and Academic Calendars

In business contexts, quarters are referred to as trimestre: primeiro trimestre (Q1), segundo trimestre (Q2), and so on. The fiscal year is ano fiscal, and semesters are semestre.

Academic calendars in Brazil typically begin in February and end in December, with a mid-year break in July. Understanding these cycles helps when discussing educational timelines and schedules.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learners often make certain errors when expressing dates. One common mistake is using ordinal numbers for all dates instead of just the first: saying segundo de março instead of dois de março for March 2nd. Remember that only primeiro is used for the first day of the month.

Another frequent error is capitalizing months and days of the week. Unlike English, Portuguese keeps these lowercase: segunda-feira, 15 de janeiro, not Segunda-feira, 15 de Janeiro.

Some learners forget the preposition de between the day and month, or between the month and year. The correct structure always includes these connecting words: 15 de janeiro de 2024, not 15 janeiro 2024.

Using American date format (MM/DD/YYYY) instead of the European format (DD/MM/YYYY) can cause serious confusion. Always remember that Portuguese follows the day-month-year pattern.

Practice Exercises

To build fluency with date expressions, practice saying today’s date aloud every morning: Hoje é + day of the week + date. Mark important dates in your calendar in Portuguese: Reunião no dia 20 de março (Meeting on March 20th).

Try converting English dates to Portuguese format and vice versa. For example, convert July 4th, 2024 to 4 de julho de 2024 and write it numerically as 04/07/2024. Practice asking and answering date questions with study partners.

Listen to native Portuguese speakers discussing dates in videos, podcasts, or conversations. Pay attention to how they naturally incorporate date expressions into everyday speech. Notice the rhythm and intonation they use.

Building Confidence

Start with simple structures and gradually add complexity. Begin by just stating the day and month: 15 de janeiro. Then add the day of the week: segunda-feira, 15 de janeiro. Finally, include the year: segunda-feira, 15 de janeiro de 2024.

Create flashcards with important dates—birthdays of friends and family, holidays, historical events—and practice expressing them in Portuguese. This practical application helps cement the patterns in your memory.

Conclusion

Mastering date expressions in Portuguese opens doors to more natural and fluent communication. From casual conversations about weekend plans to formal business correspondence, knowing how to correctly express and understand dates is invaluable. With consistent practice and attention to the structural differences between Portuguese and English date formats, you’ll soon find yourself comfortably navigating temporal expressions in any Portuguese-speaking context.