几月几号 Months and Dates in Chinese

朋友péngyou说shuō：“今天jīntiān是shì几jǐ月yuè几jǐ号hào？”

My friend asks, "What's the date today?"

我wǒ说shuō：“今天jīntiān是shì九月jiǔ yuè五wǔ号hào。”

I say, "Today is September 5th."

朋友péngyou说shuō：“九月jiǔ yuè五wǔ号hào？我wǒ的de生日shēngrì是shì九月jiǔ yuè十五shíwǔ号hào！”

My friend says, "September 5th? My birthday is September 15th!"

我wǒ说shuō：“我wǒ的de生日shēngrì是shì九月jiǔ yuè二十èrshí号hào，我们wǒmen的de生日shēngrì都dōu在zài九月jiǔ yuè。”

I say, "My birthday is September 20th — both our birthdays are in September."

朋友péngyou说shuō：“九月jiǔ yuè十五shíwǔ号hào，你nǐ来lái我wǒ家jiā！”

My friend says, "On September 15th, come over to my place!"

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

月yuèmonth

号hàoday of the month

几jǐwhich; how many

生日shēngrìbirthday

今天jīntiāntoday

来láito come

今天是几月几号？ — asking the date

几 means "which/how many" in questions. 几月几号 literally asks "which month, which day" — the standard way to ask a date.

今天是几月几号？ — What's the date today?

number + 月 + number + 号 — giving a date

Chinese goes big to small: month first, then day. 九月五号 = September 5th. In writing you may also see 日 instead of 号.

今天是九月五号。 — Today is September 5th.

都 — both, all

都 goes after the subject and before the verb, not next to the noun the way English "both" does.

我们的生日都在九月。 — Both our birthdays are in September.

1. What is today's date in the story?

2. When is the friend's birthday?

3. What does the friend invite the narrator to do?