English is full of little surprises. Some are fun, some are confusing, and some make you stare into space wondering who invented this language in the first place. Today we’re looking at one of those surprising little pairs: “What day is it today?” and “What day is today?” They look almost identical. They sound almost identical. But native speakers don’t always use them the same way, and English learners often wonder if one of them is wrong.
Good news: both forms are correct. And even better news: once you understand how each one works, you’ll be able to use them naturally, confidently, and without overthinking. This article will take you through everything — meaning, usage, differences, examples, common mistakes, and the way real people speak in daily life.
Let’s dive into this everyday English question and make it feel simple.
Why Does English Have Two Versions of the Same Question?
If you’re learning English, it might feel strange that the language has two questions that appear to do exactly the same job. But English often provides multiple ways to express the same meaning with different emphasis or structure.
In this case, the two sentences share 90% of their DNA. The difference comes from their structure:
- “What day is it today?” uses “it” as a placeholder subject.
- “What day is today?” makes “today” the subject of the sentence.
This small structural change affects which kind of answer sounds most natural — and that’s the part most learners miss. English doesn’t change the grammar for fun; these patterns exist because speakers have developed preferences over time.
By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly when to use each one, how to answer them, and how they fit into real-world conversation.
The More Common Version: “What Day Is It Today?”
Let’s start with the version you will hear most often.
“What day is it today?” is the go-to question in everyday English when someone wants to know the day of the week.
Imagine these situations:
- You wake up after a long night of studying and can’t remember what day it is.
- You’ve been traveling across time zones and your schedule is completely messed up.
- You check your phone and see the date but want to confirm the weekday.
- You’re planning a meeting and want to be sure it’s Monday, not Tuesday.
In all of these cases, the natural question is:
“What day is it today?”
Natural answers include:
- “It’s Monday.”
- “It’s Thursday today.”
- “It’s Sunday.”
- “It’s Friday already?”
- “It’s Wednesday — the week is flying by.”
This question is common because the placeholder “it” makes the sentence flow easily in conversation. English uses “it” all the time when talking about time, dates, weather, seasons, and general conditions:
- It’s Monday.
- It’s December.
- It’s almost noon.
- It’s raining.
- It’s cold today.
So “What day is it today?” fits naturally into the same pattern.
The Less Common — But Still Correct — Version: “What Day Is Today?”
This version shows up less often in casual speech, but it has a specific purpose.
While it can be used to ask for the weekday, it more often asks:
What kind of day is today?
—not just the weekday, but the meaning of the day.
Think of these situations:
- Someone knows today is special but forgot exactly why.
- You’re looking at a calendar of holidays or events.
- You’re reminding someone that today is something significant.
- You’re announcing or celebrating an important date.
In these cases, the question is:
“What day is today?”
Natural answers include:
- “Today is the first day of summer.”
- “Today is Mother’s Day.”
- “Today is my birthday.”
- “Today is the school awards ceremony.”
- “Today is our anniversary.”
You can also use this question to ask for the weekday, but it feels more formal or slightly old-fashioned in everyday conversation.
Example:
- A: “What day is today?”
- B: “Today is Wednesday.”
This is correct, but less common than: - B: “It’s Wednesday.”
Because “today” is the subject, the sentence puts more emphasis on “today” as a concept rather than the weekday.
Side-by-Side Comparison
To make things clearer, here’s how the two versions compare:
What day is it today?
- Most common
- Casual, everyday English
- Used to ask the weekday
- Works for schedules, planning, checking the time
- Structure: it + be + day
What day is today?
- Less common
- Slightly more formal
- Often used to ask what kind of day it is
- Works for holidays, special events, announcements
- Structure: today + be + day
Both are correct. They simply emphasize different parts of the sentence and produce slightly different expectations for the answer.
Why Native Speakers Prefer the First Version
You may wonder:
If both are correct, why do people usually pick one over the other?
There are a few reasons:
1. English loves using “it” for time
We say:
- It’s Monday.
- It’s January.
- It’s 8 p.m.
- It’s the weekend.
- It’s almost lunchtime.
Using “it” feels natural when talking about dates and days.
2. “What day is it today?” sounds conversational
It flows smoothly.
It follows common English patterns.
It feels friendly, simple, and familiar.
3. “What day is today?” sounds more formal or old-fashioned
It isn’t wrong — it just feels like it belongs in writing, not daily conversation.
This is why English learners should master the first version as their default.
How to Answer Both Questions Naturally
Answering these questions is easy once you know what the other person wants.
If they ask: “What day is it today?”
Give the weekday:
- “It’s Monday.”
- “It’s Friday today.”
- “It’s Saturday.”
- “It’s Tuesday — I almost forgot.”
If they ask: “What day is today?”
Give the type of day:
- “Today is Easter Sunday.”
- “Today is my last day at work.”
- “Today is our company’s anniversary.”
- “Today is exam day.”
Of course, you can answer with the weekday, but the examples above match more closely with how the question is usually intended.
Common Mistake: Confusing “Day” with “Date”
One of the easiest mistakes learners make is mixing up these two ideas:
- Day = Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday…
- Date = November 19th, March 4th, July 12th…
Learners often ask:
“What day is today?”
When they mean:
“What’s the date today?”
These are NOT interchangeable.
If you want the number, you must ask for the date, not the day.
For example:
- Day answer: “It’s Tuesday.”
- Date answer: “It’s November 19th.”
They answer two completely different things.
“What’s the Date Today?” — A Related Question
Since we’re on the subject, it’s worth learning the date question too.
English speakers usually ask:
- “What’s the date today?”
- “What is today’s date?”
Natural answers include:
- “It’s May 3rd.”
- “It’s the 12th.”
- “It’s April 20th.”
- “It’s June 1st, 2025.”
This question does not ask for the weekday — that’s where many learners slip.
Real-Life Dialogue Examples
Here are short, natural conversations to show how these sentences work.
Example 1 — Weekday
A: “What day is it today?”
B: “It’s Tuesday.”
Example 2 — Special Event
A: “What day is today?”
B: “Today is our anniversary.”
Example 3 — Planning
A: “What day is it today?”
B: “It’s Friday.”
A: “Oh good — weekend soon.”
Example 4 — School or work
A: “What day is today?”
B: “Today is the science fair.”
Example 5 — Confusion
A: “Wait… what day is it today?”
B: “It’s Monday.”
A: “Already?!”
Dialogue helps learners see the real-world structure and tone.
Extra Useful Related Questions
Since you’re learning how to talk about days, here are more natural questions English speakers use:
- “What day is tomorrow?”
- “What day was it yesterday?”
- “What’s the plan for today?”
- “What day does the trip start?”
- “Which day works for you?”
- “What day of the week is the meeting?”
- “Do you know what day we’re flying out?”
These help learners build natural English conversations around schedules and time.
Practice Section (Helpful for Learners)
Fill in the blanks:
- A: “_____ day is it today?”
B: “It’s _____.” - A: “_____ day is today?”
B: “Today is _____.” - A: “What’s the date today?”
B: “It’s _____.” - Rewrite using the other form:
“Today is my birthday.”
→ “_____ day is _____?” - Choose the correct question:
You want the weekday → __________
You want the calendar number → __________
You want the special event → __________
Creating short exercises like this builds stronger understanding.
Summary: The Difference Made Simple
Let’s wrap it up in one clean list.
- Both questions are grammatically correct.
- “What day is it today?”
→ Best for asking the weekday.
→ Most common and natural. - “What day is today?”
→ Often asks what kind of day today is
(holiday, birthday, event, special day).
→ Less common, more formal. - “What’s the date today?”
→ Used for the calendar date (numbers). - Native speakers choose based on context, not strict grammar rules.
Once you understand the nuance, you’ll hear these patterns everywhere. English becomes much clearer when you know what people expect when they ask these questions.