Having trouble with dates in Russian? There is only one piece of advice: get acquainted with the nuances, learn the rules, and practice a lot. With time you will master this complicated topic. Today we will tell you how to use dates in Russian correctly.
There are several rules to follow when calling a date. It mostly has to do with the use of ordinal numerals and indirect cases. Let’s have a look at the nuances.
First we have the seven days of the week:
To answer the question “When?” and use the days of the week in the right manner, first we add the preposition ”в”, and then the put the word in the accusative case, changing the ending of the word for “-у” or leaving it as it is.
В среду мы идем в кино, а в воскресенье приедут родители. — On Wednesday, we go to the cinema and on Sunday, the parents will come.
Lets remember or learn the months:
Almost like with the days of the week, when we ask the question “When”, we use the preposition “в” and put the word in the prepositional case, adding the ending “-е”:
Следующая встреча будет в ноябре. — The next meeting will be in November.
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To name the date, use an ordinal numeral. To do this, it is enough to add the neuter ending (-ое, -ье) to the quantitative numeral. On paper you can write the whole ordinal numeral, or use the number with a written ending.
To answer the question “What date is today?”, use an ordinal numeral, and put the month in the genitive case, adding the ending -я.
Сегодня двадцать пятое мая. — Today is the twenty-fifth of May.
When naming the year, use the ordinal numeral in the masculine gender, adding the ending -ый, – ой. We remind you: in a complex ordinal numeral, only the last digit changes. Pay attention: тысяча and одна тысяча are equally right options for naming the year.
Let’s take the date 1.08.2013 (August 1, 2013) and see how it’s pronounced in different situations.
If you answer the question “What date is it today?” or use it in the present tense, it will sound like this:
Первое августа две тысячи тринадцатого года.
To answer the question “When?” or to use the date in the past or future tense, it is necessary to put the ordinal numeral in the genitive case:
Первого августа две тысячи тринадцатого года.
Compare:
Девятое мая 1945 (тысяча девятьсот сорок пятого) года — важный день для всех россиян. — May 9, 1945 (one thousand nine hundred and forty-five) is an important day for all Russians.
Девятого мая 2021 (две тысячи двадцать первого) года был выходной день в связи с праздником. — May 9, 2021 (two thousand twenty one) was a day off thanks to the holiday.
Or:
Восьмое марта 2021 (две тысячи двадцать первого) года — выходной день. — March 8, 2021 is a day off.
Мы поженились восьмого марта 2005 (две тысячи пятого) года. — We got married on March 8, 2005.
There are three main ways on how to write the date in Russian:
The year is usually not written in words, we have given the full verbal version above so that you understand how to read it correctly in different situations.
| Russian word/ expression | Translation | Пример употребления |
| Вчера | Yesterday | Вчера был понедельник. / Yesterday was Monday |
| Сегодня | Today | Сегодня 21-е апреля 2020 года. / Today is April 21, 2020 |
| Завтра | Tomorrow | Завтра будет пятое мая. / Tomorrow will be the fifth of May |
| Послезавтра | Day after tomorrow | Послезавтра, седьмого февраля, я начинаю работать. / The day after tomorrow, February 7th, I start working |
| Позавчера | Day before yesterday | Позавчера, в среду, здесь было много людей. / The day before yesterday, on Wednesday, there were a lot of people here |
| Какое сегодня число? | What’s the date today? | Какое сегодня число? — Сегодня 8-е июня. / What’s the date today? — Today is June 8th |
| Когда у тебя день рождения? | When’s your birthday? | Когда у тебя день рождения? — Первого января 1984 года. / When’s your birthday? — January 1st, 1984 |
| Какой сегодня день недели? | What day of the week is it today? | Какой сегодня день недели? — Уже понедельник. / What day of the week is it today? — It’s already Monday |
| В каком месяце ты приедешь? | What month are you coming? | В каком месяце ты приедешь? Мы очень соскучились. — Скорее всего, в марте. / What month are you coming? We missed you a lot. — Most likely in March |
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