Dates and the calendar

Datum und Kalender sicher

State a calendar date and use der, am and im correctly when naming a date, an appointment or a month.

First review the counting numbers, month names and the time question Wann. A numbered date uses an ordinal (an order word): drei becomes dritte, and fünf becomes fünfte. Compare Heute ist der dritte Mai. (Today is 3 May.) with Der Termin ist am fünften September. (The appointment is on 5 September.) After der, use dritte/fünfte; after am, use dritten/fünften. Am is short for an dem, so the ending changes to -en in these phrases. Use am with a weekday or date, im with a month, and um with a clock time: am Freitag, am dritten Mai, im Juni, um zehn Uhr. German numeric dates put day before month: 03.05. means 3 May, not March 5. Welches Datum ist heute? asks today's date; Wann ist der Termin? asks when the appointment is.

A date uses an order word: dritte means third. After Heute ist der, say dritte Mai. After am, say dritten Mai. Learn the complete date phrase rather than changing only the number.

Use Der Termin ist am fünften September to confirm an appointment. If you only know the month, use im, as in Mein Geburtstag ist im Juni. A form may show the date as day.month.year.

Do not use um before the calendar date in this example. Um is used for clock times such as um drei Uhr; use am fünften September for the date. Do not write der drei Mai instead of der dritte Mai.

Am: day or date. Im: month. Um: clock time. Keep these short words with the information that follows them.

Ask for today’s date, then answer using a date you can say. Arrange a fictional appointment using the fifth of September and say when you have time off.