Writing or saying the date in Spanish is not difficult because like Indonesian, the date is mentioned before the month. Plus, Spanish can be easier because there's only one way to pronounce the date, and not several like English. To say a date in Spanish, start with el and give the number for the day, followed by the name of the month.
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Method 1 of 3: Saying the Date
Step 1. Use " El numero de mess. " When someone asks for a date in Spanish, always follow the same formula. Start with el (ELL), followed by the date number of the day. Then, say de (DEY) followed by the name of the month.
You can start by saying hoy es (OY ESS) before the date, which means "today is." For example, if someone asks you for the date, say "Hoy es el dos de febrero," which means "Today is the second of February." In most contexts, simply saying the date is sufficient
Step 2. Start with the date number
The calendar structure in Indonesian is similar to Spanish. To say the date in Spanish, you need to know the words for the numbers from 1 to 31.
- There is one exception to this rule. When you talk about the first month in Spanish, use the word primero, which means "first".
- If you don't know Spanish numbers well by heart, practice counting in this language. You can also stick sticky notes around the house with numbers and words in Spanish so that you get used to linking the two together.
Step 3. Pronounce the names of the months correctly
After saying the day, you will need to add the word de (DEY), then say the name of the month. If you don't know the names of the months in Spanish yet, look for a Spanish calendar so you can see them every day.
- January is enero (ey-NEIR-o).
- February is febrero (fey-BREY-ro).
- March is marzo (MER-so).
- April is abril (A-breel).
- May is mayo (MAY-o).
- June is junio (HOO-nii-o).
- July is julio (HOO-lii-o).
- August is agosto (a-GOS-to).
- September is septiembre (seyp-tii-YEM-brey).
- October is octubre (ohk-TUU-brey).
- November is noviembre (noh-bii-YEM-brey).
- December is diciembre (dii-sii-YEM-brey).
Step 4. State the year correctly
In most cases, you probably don't need to include the year when pronouncing the date when you're just chatting casually. If so, simply add de after the month followed by the year number.
In Indonesian, we often mention the year briefly. For example, when we say 1991, we say "nineteen ninety-one." However, in Spanish, you mention whole numbers: " mil novecientos noventa y uno," or "one thousand nine hundred and ninety-one."
Method 2 of 3: Writing the Date
Step 1. Use the same "El numéro de mes" formula to write down the date
Just like saying the date in Spanish, you write the date starting with the date number, then the month name, then the year number. Start with " el " which is the equivalent of " the " in English, then separate the date, month, and year numbers with the word " de ".
As in speaking, there are exceptions when writing the first month. The first date is written by making the number "1" accompanied by a superscript "o" so that it looks like a degree symbol: 1º. This is the "first" symbol in Spanish. For example, you might write, "Hoy es 1º de febrero," or "Today is February one."
Step 2. Start with the day
Except on the first day of each month, the date of the day is usually written in the form of numbers in Spanish, like Indonesian.
You can use the number ("2") or spell the number (" dos ")
Step 3. Write down the name of the month
Write de after the day number. Then, write down the name of the month. Unlike the Indonesian language, the name of the month in Spanish does not start with a capital letter.
For example, if you write April two in Spanish, write "2 de abril."
Step 4. Add the year if needed
Just like in Indonesian, if you write down the date in Spanish, just write down the numbers and not the full spelling. In Spanish, there is no comma before the year number.
As in pronunciation, insert the word de between the month and year. For example, you could write "2 de abril de 2018" for April 2, 2018
Step 5. Shorten the date using only numbers
Just like in Indonesian, dates can be written in a short format that only consists of numbers. The formula is also the same as the long format, which is the date number, followed by the month, then ending with the year.
- For example, if you want to write the short form of "28 March 2018" in Spanish, write "28-3-2018" or "28-03-2018".
- You can separate numbers with periods, dashes, or slashes. Some regions prefer one form over another, but Spanish speakers will be able to recognize whichever form is used.
Method 3 of 3: Talking Time
Step 1. Ask for the date
If you want to know the date of a day, use the phrase "¿ Cuál es la fecha de hoy ?" (cuu-AHL ess lah FEY-chah dey oy). This question means “What day is it today?” While there are other ways to ask for the date, this is the most commonly used phrase.
Step 2. Learn the names of the days
The names of the days are as important as the dates, especially when planning an event. If you're learning how to pronounce the date in Spanish, it's also a good idea to learn how to say the names of the days in this language if asked.
- Sunday is domingo (doh-MIIN-go).
- Mondays are lunes (LUU-neys).
- Tuesday is martes (MER-teys).
- Wednesdays are miércoles (mii-YER-coh-leys).
- Thursday is jueves (huu-EY-beys).
- Friday is viernes (bii-YER-neys).
- Saturday is sábado (SAH-bah-do).
Step 3. Use el when talking about days or dates
In Spanish, the word el is always used before the date number or the name of the day. Although this word has a plural form, namely los, when used before a date or day, the word el can be considered singular or plural.
For example, if someone asks you your favorite day in Spanish, respond with " el viernes " or " los viernes ". Both phrases can be translated “Friday” or “All Fridays”
Step 4. Ask for the name of the day
To ask for the name of the day, say "¿ Qué día es hoy ?" (key DII-ah ess oy). However, be careful when using this question as it is sometimes considered a date.
You can also leave the hoy at the end of the sentence and just say "¿ Qué día es ?"
Step 5. Use the verb hacer (HEH-sey) to express time in general
The verb hacer means "to do" or "to make" in Spanish, but when accompanied by " que ", it can be used as an expression of time. One of the main uses of this verb in Spanish is to talk about an action that happened in the past.
- Hacer + length of time + que (KEY) + past conjugation of the verb describes an action that happened at a point in the past. For example, you could say " Hace tres años que empecé a trabajar aquí " to say "I started working here three years ago."
- To talk about actions that continue into the present, use hacer with the present conjunction of the verb. For example, you could say " Hace tres años que trabajo aquí " which means "I have been working here for three years."
Step 6. Include the word desde to express "since"
If you want to say something that has happened since a certain day or date, put the word desde in front of the date or time, just like in Indonesian.
For example, " La conozco desde junio " means "I have known him since June."
Step 7. Learn other words to refer to time
In normal speech, you usually don't use a specific date to talk about something that will happen. Your Spanish will be more natural if you use more appropriate words like "tomorrow" or "yesterday."
- “Today” is hoy (OY).
- Yesterday was ayer (EY-yer).
- Tomorrow is mañana (mah-NYAH-nah).
- "Two days ago" is anteayer (aunt-ey-yer) or "antes de ayer."
