A Complete Guide to Months in German

Learning how to say the months in German is important. Whether someone asks you when your birthday is or you’re trying to figure out when your semester abroad in Germany ends, you’ll need to know what each month is called.

Luckily, it’s not too difficult. You may be surprised by just how easy the months in German are to remember. Don’t believe me? Well, just keep reading and see for yourself!

What Are the Months in German?

German is a Germanic language, just like English. This means that these two languages have a lot in common. This is especially true when it comes to the German months. Some of these words may seem incredibly familiar to you. While this will make learning them easier, don’t forget to watch out for the spelling. It’s not exactly the same as in English.

German	English
Januar	January
Februar	February
März	March
April	April
Mai	May
Juni	June
Juli	July
August	August
September	September
Oktober	October
November	November
Dezember	December

German Months: Abbreviations

When looking at a schedule or a calendar, you might sometimes encounter the abbreviated versions of months in German instead of the full words. This is why it’s important to know what these abbreviations stand for. After all, you don’t want to get confused by simple three-letter words.

Moreover, if you yourself ever need to abbreviate the months in German, it’s useful to know how to do this in a way that won’t confuse your native German friends.

Month	Abbreviation
Januar	Jan.
Februar	Feb.
März	März
April	Apr.
Mai	Mai
Juni	Jun.
Juli	Jul.
August	Aug.
September	Sep.
Oktober	Okt.
November	Nov.
Dezember	Dec.

Important: Notice how “Mai” and “März” don’t get abbreviated. These two words are already super short – so remember to always use their full versions.

How to Remember the Months in German

Now that you know how to say the months in German, you need to figure out a way to remember what you learned. Here are some of my favourite methods to help you with that:

• Use flashcards. Flashcards are an important tool in any language learner’s arsenal. You can use a flashcard app on your phone (such as Anki or Quizlet) or try the old-fashioned way of making your own paper flashcards. Then, you can pull these out whenever you have the time. I like to learn with flashcards while waiting in the doctor’s office or when travelling long-distance.
• Repetition method. One of the fastest ways to memorise the months in German is by repeating the sequence over and over until it sticks. It’s not the most fun or creative method, but it’s certainly reliable.
• Switch your digital calendar to German. These days, many of us use digital calendars instead of paper ones. One benefit of this is that we can easily change the language of our calendars whenever we feel like it. I would recommend this method if your goal is to truly become familiar and comfortable with the months in German. Immersion like this is a wonderful way to learn naturally without too much effort.
• Alternatively, make your own German calendar. If you’re more of a paper calendar person, you can still use the method above by getting a little creative and making your own customised calendar in German.
• Learn with songs. Children often learn about the world by listening to fun and educational songs. You can do the same when learning a new language. There are many songs out there that can help you learn the months in German. Here are two of my favourites:

German Months: Grammar

Knowing how to say the months in German is important, but it’s not the only thing you need to know. By now, you may have some questions. How do you use these words in a sentence? Are there any grammar rules that you should be aware of? What are they?

Here’s what you need to know:

German Months Are Always Capitalised

This rule should, hopefully, not come as too much of a surprise to you. In German, all nouns are always capitalised. Because months are also nouns, they too always start with a capital letter. Remember this to avoid grammar and spelling mistakes.

German Months Are Always Masculine

One of the things new German learners struggle with the most is remembering which noun goes with which article. While this isn’t exactly anyone’s favourite part of grammar, it is important. Knowing whether a noun is feminine, masculine, or neuter is essential for things such as prepositions and adjective endings.

The good news is that all the months in German take the same article – the masculine article. So, it’s always “der Januar,” “der April,” “der November,” etc.

Which Prepositions Should You Use with the Months in German?

It’s no secret that different languages often use different prepositions to express the same thing. What might sound natural to an English ear might not work in German. So, which prepositions do German speakers use when referring to the months of the year?

How to Say “In January”

If you want to say that something happens in a specific month, you should use the preposition “im.” For example:

• Ich habe Geburtstag im April. (My birthday is in April.)
• Im Mai ist es warm. (It’s warm in May.)

Note: The preposition “im” is actually short for “in dem.” As a preposition, “in” can take either the accusative or the dative case, depending on the meaning. When talking about something happening in a specific month, the correct case to use is the dative.

As I mentioned earlier, the months in German are all masculine. This means that the preposition “in” has to be followed by the article “der” in the dative case, which is “dem.” So, you end up with, for example, “in dem Januar.” To make things simpler, Germans will shorten “in dem” to “im,” which is why we use “im” with the German months.

How to Say “From July to August”

There are two more prepositions that are useful to know for anyone wanting to talk about the months in German. These are “von” and “bis,” meaning “from” and “to.”

Here is how to use them in a sentence:

• Die Sommerferien sind von Juli bis August. (The summer vacation is from July to August.)

How to Say the Date in German

By now, you know how to say that something happened in a certain month. But what about if you want to get more specific? How do you say the date in German?

It’s actually relatively simple. Let’s look at the following example: the fourth of November 2024.

• fourth: vierte
• November: November
• 2024: 2024 (“zweitausendvierundzwanzig”)

So, if you put it all together, this is what the date will look like in German:

• Der vierte November 2024

You always start with the definite article, followed by the cardinal (counting) number in German, followed by the month, and then finally the year.

To learn more about dates in German and how to say cardinal numbers, check out this super helpful and easy-to-follow guide by Learn German with Herr Antrim:

German Months: Useful Phrases & Vocabulary

Last but not least, let’s talk about some phrases and vocabulary that might come in handy when you’re describing months in German.

How to Say This, Next, Last, and Every Month in German

“The month” in German is “der Monat.” But how do you say that something is happening this month? Or next February? What about if you want to describe what happened to you last December?

German	English
diesen Monat	this month
(im) nächsten Monat	(in the) next month
(im) letzten Monat	(in the) last month
jeden Monat	every month

Seasons in German

When learning about months in German, we also have to mention the seasons. After all, these two topics go very much hand in hand. When talking about July and August, we often want to mention the summer, too. And no one talks about December without mentioning that the winter weather is taking its sweet time again.

This is what the seasons in German are:

German	English
die Jahreszeit	(the) season of the year
der Frühling	(the) spring
der Sommer	(the) summer
der Herbst	(the) autumn/fall
der Winter	(the) winter

Tip: If you need help remembering the seasons in German (and revise the colours in German, too), check out this catchy song by Kinderlieder zum Mitsingen und Bewegen:

Months in German: Final Thoughts

Learning months in German doesn’t have to be daunting – it can actually be a lot of fun. You can learn by listening to songs or telling everyone around you when exactly your birthday is. That way, you can get some language practice in and, when the time comes, some nice presents from your friends, too. And who wouldn’t like that?

I’ll leave you with a final reminder to watch out for the spelling. The German months may seem similar to English months, but there are still some important differences that you shouldn’t ignore.

Learn More

Can’t get enough of the German language? Then stay a little longer and check out some of our other useful guides. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• Days of the Week in German: A Complete Guide
• How to Learn German Vocabulary: Top Tips and Resources
• Modal Verbs in German: Everything You Need to Know