Months of the Year in 16 Languages
Whether you're planning a trip, learning a new language, or just curious about how the world tracks time, mastering the months of the year is an essential first step.
The Latin Legacy
Notice how similar the months sound in English, French, and Spanish? That's because they all stem from the ancient Roman calendar. However, languages like Japanese and Mandarin take a more logical approach, simply naming them "Month 1", "Month 2", and so on!
Select a Language
French
janvier, février...
Spanish
enero, febrero...
German
Januar, Februar...
Italian
gennaio, febbraio...
Portuguese
janeiro, fevereiro...
Russian
январь, февраль...
Arabic
يناير, فبراير...
Japanese
一月, 二月...
Mandarin Chinese
一月, 二月...
Korean
1월, 2월...
Hindi
जनवरी, फ़रवरी...
Dutch
januari, februari...
Turkish
Ocak, Şubat...
Polish
styczeń, luty...
Swedish
januari, februari...
Greek
Ιανουάριος...
Advertisement
AdSense Slot: months-hub-middle
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do so many languages have similar names for the months?
Many modern languages, especially European ones, inherited their month names from the Roman calendar. The Romans named their months after gods (Mars/March), rituals (Februa/February), or numbers (Octo/October). As the Roman Empire and later the Gregorian calendar spread, these Latin roots were adapted into local languages.
Do all languages use the 12-month Gregorian calendar?
While the Gregorian calendar is the international standard for business and government, many cultures maintain traditional lunar or lunisolar calendars for religious and cultural events. For example, the Islamic calendar is strictly lunar, and the Chinese, Hebrew, and Hindu calendars are lunisolar, often requiring a 'leap month' to stay aligned with the solar year.
Why are September, October, November, and December named after numbers 7, 8, 9, and 10?
In the original Roman calendar, the year began in March and only had 10 months. September was the 7th month (septem), October the 8th (octo), November the 9th (novem), and December the 10th (decem). When January and February were later added to the beginning of the year, the numbered months kept their original names despite shifting positions.