Unit 4 - Section 3: Dates and Days
Dates and Days of the Week (曜日・月・日)
Learn how to express dates, days of the week, and calendar information in Japanese.
Days of the Week (曜日)
Pattern: Day-of-week + 曜日 (youbi)
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| 月曜日 | getsuyoubi | Monday | 🌙 Moon |
| 火曜日 | kayoubi | Tuesday | 🔥 Fire |
| 水曜日 | suiyoubi | Wednesday | 💧 Water |
| 木曜日 | mokuyoubi | Thursday | 🌳 Tree |
| 金曜日 | kinyoubi | Friday | ✨ Gold |
| 土曜日 | doyoubi | Saturday | ⭐ Earth/Soil |
| 日曜日 | nichiyoubi | Sunday | ☀️ Sun |
Memory Aid: The day kanji use elements - Moon (Monday), Fire (Tuesday), Water (Wednesday), Tree (Thursday), Gold (Friday), Soil (Saturday), Sun (Sunday). This matches the Chinese zodiac elements!
Months (月)
Pattern: [Number] + 月
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 一月 | ichigatsu | January |
| 二月 | nigatsu | February |
| 三月 | sangatsu | March |
| 四月 | shigatsu | April |
| 五月 | gogatsu | May |
| 六月 | rokugatsu | June |
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 七月 | shichigatsu | July |
| 八月 | hachigatsu | August |
| 九月 | kugatsu | September |
| 十月 | jugatsu | October |
| 十一月 | juichigatsu | November |
| 十二月 | junigatsu | December |
Days of the Month (日)
Pattern: [Number] + 日
Irregular readings: The first 10 days and some others have special readings!
| Japanese | Romaji | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 一日 | tsuitachi | 1st day |
| 二日 | futsuka | 2nd day |
| 三日 | mikka | 3rd day |
| 十日 | tooka | 10th day |
| 二十日 | hatsuka | 20th day |
| 三十日 | sanjuunichi | 30th day |
| 十一日 | juuichinichi | 11th day |
| 二十五日 | nijuugonichi | 25th day |
Dates and Birthdays
Example sentences:
誕生日は三月十五日です。
[Tanjoubi wa sangatsu juugonichi desu]
Translation: My birthday is March 15th.
明日は月曜日です。
[Ashita wa getsuyoubi desu]
Translation: Tomorrow is Monday.
誕生日はいつですか。
[Tanjoubi wa itsu desu ka]
Translation: When is your birthday?
Study Tips
Master Dates and Days:
- Element symbolism: Remember Mon=Moon, Tue=Fire, Wed=Water, etc.
- Irregular day readings: Focus on 1st-10th and 20th/30th which are irregular
- Practice saying dates: Say today's date in Japanese every morning
- Calendar exposure: Look at Japanese calendars to see the patterns
- Birth dates: Learn to say important dates (birthdays, anniversaries)
Course Navigation
Study Tips
- Read each example carefully
- Practice pronunciation aloud
- Create your own sentences to reinforce memory
- Finish the section quiz