Days & Months in French
Days and months in French follow the same lowercase rule as Spanish and Italian -- no capital letters. But French adds its own twist: the article le before a day turns a specific reference into a habitual one. This guide covers all the vocabulary, the date format, and the preposition rules that make French dates work.
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Days of the Week
The French week starts on lundi (Monday). The day names derive from Latin planetary names, just like in other Romance languages.
The article le changes everything. Lundi, je travaille = "On Monday, I work" (one specific Monday). Le lundi, je travaille = "On Mondays, I work" (every Monday). This is one of the most useful grammar points for daily conversation.
Months of the Year
French months are easy for English speakers because most are recognizable cognates. Remember: all lowercase, always.
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How to Write Dates in French
French dates follow the pattern le + number + month + year. The day always comes before the month -- never use the American month-first format.
- le premier janvier -- January 1st (only the 1st uses "premier")
- le 2 février -- February 2nd
- le 14 juillet 2026 -- July 14, 2026
- le 25 décembre -- December 25th
Only the first day of the month uses the ordinal premier (first). All other dates use cardinal numbers: le deux, le trois, le quatre. Never say "le deuxième mars" -- it is always le deux mars.
Prepositions with Days and Months
- lundi -- on (this/next) Monday
- le lundi -- on Mondays (habitual)
- en janvier -- in January
- au mois de mars -- in the month of March (formal)
Useful Expressions
- Quel jour sommes-nous ? -- What day is it?
- Nous sommes mardi. -- It is Tuesday.
- Quelle est la date aujourd'hui ? -- What is today's date?
- Mon anniversaire est en juillet. -- My birthday is in July.
- À vendredi ! -- See you Friday!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are days and months capitalized in French?
No. French does not capitalize days of the week or months of the year. They are common nouns: lundi, janvier. Capitalizing them is one of the most common mistakes English speakers make in French.
How do I say "on Mondays" (habitual) in French?
Use the definite article le before the day: le lundi means "on Mondays" or "every Monday." Without the article, lundi means "this Monday" or "next Monday." Example: Le lundi, je fais du sport (On Mondays, I exercise).
How do I write dates in French?
French uses the format le + day number + month + year: le 14 juillet 2026. For the first of the month, use premier: le premier janvier (January 1st). All other dates use cardinal numbers: le deux février (February 2nd).
What preposition do I use with months in French?
Use en for months: en janvier (in January), en mars (in March). You can also say au mois de: au mois de janvier (in the month of January), which is slightly more formal.