Days and months
The days of the week. Use this to specifically refer to the seven days that make up a week.
The months of the year. Use this to specifically refer to the twelve months that make up a year.
The days of the week are: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The months of the year are: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.
What day is today? Today is Wednesday.
My birthday is in August.
The Spanish class is on Monday and Thursday.
The names for the days of the week and months of the year are standardized and understood across the entire Spanish-speaking world, including Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Spain. Pronunciation of certain letters may vary (like the 'c' in 'diciembre' or the 's' in 'meses'), but the words themselves do not change.
In most Spanish-speaking countries, the calendar week begins on Monday (lunes), not Sunday (domingo). This is important when looking at calendars or scheduling appointments.
Capitalizing the days and months. — Unlike in English, the days of the week and months of the year are not capitalized in Spanish unless they are at the beginning of a sentence. For example, write 'Mi cumpleaños es en julio', not 'Mi cumpleaños es en Julio'.
Using 'en' for days of the week. — To say you do something 'on' a certain day, use the article 'el' for a single day or 'los' for a recurring day. For example, 'Voy al mercado el sábado' (I'm going to the market on Saturday), not '...en sábado'.
Confusing the gender of 'día'. — Although it ends in '-a', the word 'día' (day) is masculine. Always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, like 'el día' or 'un buen día'. For example, 'Hoy es un día bonito', not '...una día bonita'.
Using the wrong preposition for specific dates. — When stating a full date, use 'el' before the number. For example, 'La fiesta es el 5 de mayo' (The party is on May 5th). Don't use 'en el'.
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