Reading dates in English can vary slightly depending on the format and the region (American English vs. British English). Here’s a clear guide on how to read dates in English:
1. Common Date Formats
American English (Month/Day/Year)
- Example: 05/20/2025
- Read as: May twentieth, twenty twenty-five
British English (Day/Month/Year)
- Example: 20/05/2025
- Read as: The twentieth of May, twenty twenty-five
2. How to Read Dates
Reading the Day
- Use ordinal numbers for the day (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.).
- Example: 1 → first, 2 → second, 3 → third, 4 → fourth, 21 → twenty-first, 30 → thirtieth.
Reading the Month
- Use the full name of the month or the common abbreviation.
- Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Reading the Year
- For years in the 2000s, you can say the full number (two thousand twenty-five) or split into two parts (twenty twenty-five).
- For years before 2000, it’s common to split into two parts (e.g., 1999 → nineteen ninety-nine).
3. Examples
Date (US Format)| How to Read (American English)| How to Read (British
English)
---|---|---
05/20/2025| May twentieth, twenty twenty-five| The twentieth of May, twenty
twenty-five
12/01/2023| December first, twenty twenty-three| The first of December, twenty
twenty-three
07/04/1776| July fourth, seventeen seventy-six| The fourth of July, seventeen
seventy-six
4. Additional Tips
- When writing dates in formal contexts, British English often uses “the” before the day and “of” between the day and the month.
- In casual speech, Americans often omit “the” and “of.”
- For spoken dates, clarity is key. Use ordinals for days and full month names to avoid confusion.
If you want, I can also help you practice reading specific dates or explain how to write dates formally!
