Date Format: Learning how to say the date in English is a key part of communication, whether you’re scheduling an appointment, discussing history, or sharing your birthday!
1. Saying the Year in English
When talking about years in English, the way you say them depends on the century and structure of the number. Here’s how it works:
1800s
- 1800: Say “eighteen hundred.”
- 1805: Say “eighteen-oh-five” or “eighteen hundred (and) five.”
- 1817: Say “eighteen seventeen.”
1900s
- 1998: Say “nineteen ninety-eight.”
2000s
- 2000: Say “two thousand.”
- 2003: Say “two thousand (and) three” or “twenty-oh-three.”
- 2011: Say “twenty-eleven” or “two thousand (and) eleven.”
- 2018: Say “twenty-eighteen” or “two thousand (and) eighteen.”
Key Tip While Talking About Years
- From 1975 and earlier, we often split the year in tens. For example, 1975 becomes “nineteen seventy-five.”
- From 2000 to 2009, the years are not split up. For example:
- 2000 = “two thousand.”
- 2001 = “two thousand (and) one.”
- From 2010 onwards, the years are usually split again. For instance, 2010 is “twenty-ten.”
2. Talking About Decades & Centuries in English
Decades
- The 1980s: Say “the (nineteen) eighties.”
- The 2000s: Say “the (two) thousands” or “the aughts.”
Centuries
- The 1800s: Say “the eighteen hundreds.”
- The 21st century: Say “the twenty-first century.”
3. Asking the Date in English
When you’re curious about today’s date or talking about it with someone, here are some phrases you can use:
Casual Questions
- What day is it today?
- Example: “It’s Wednesday” or “It’s the 13th.”
- What date is it?
- Example: “It’s the 19th” or “It’s 1st May” (“May 1st”).
- What is the date (today)? or What is today’s date?
- Example responses:
- It is…
- The date today is…
- Today is…
- Example responses:
4. Date Formats in British & American English
Understanding the difference between British and American date formats will help you avoid confusion.
Written Format
- British English: Day/Month/Year
- Example: 1st May, 2011.
- American English: Month/Day/Year
- Example: May 1st, 2011.
Spoken Format
- British English: The first of May, twenty-eleven.
- American English: May first, twenty-eleven.
Explore More:
- Date Format in Written and Spoken English
Date Format: Learning how to say the date in English … - Difference Between Formal vs. Informal EmailsIn this lesson, you will learn the difference between formal …
- 7 Different Styles of EnglishLearning English is not just about vocabulary and grammar—it’s also …
- 17 Step Roadmap – How to think in EnglishHow to think in English: Learning a new language can …
- What is the Difference Between ‘work’ and ‘job’?In the English language, some words seem almost interchangeable, but …
