Saying the Date
Ordinal plus month gives the date.
How It Works
Dates use an ordinal number (prvi, drugi, treći), as in English the fifth.
| Meaning | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| It is the date | ordinal + month, nominative | Danas je peti novembar. |
| On a date | ordinal + month, genitive | Rođena sam petog novembra. |
In the genitive, the masculine ordinal ends in -og or -eg (petog, petnaestog, trećeg) and the month ends in -a (novembra, maja, marta).
The question is Koji je danas datum? (What is the date today?) or Kojeg datuma? (On which date?). In writing, the day is a number followed by a full stop: 5. novembar.
In speech you also hear Danas je petog novembra, with the genitive, and that is just as natural.
Examples (4)
- Danas je peti novembar.
Today is the fifth of November.
Ordinal and month in the nominative.
- Sutra je šesti novembar.
Tomorrow is the sixth of November.
The same pattern works for any date.
- Ajla je rođena petnaestog marta.
Ajla was born on the fifteenth of March.
On a date takes the genitive.
- Škola počinje prvog septembra.
School starts on the first of September.
Prvog septembra is genitive.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the ordinal in the nominative after on.
Rođena sam treći maja.Rođena sam trećeg maja.On a date needs the genitive: trećeg maja.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Dates use ordinal numbers and the genitive.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice Saying the Date in Bubblegum
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