New here? This is lesson 50 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
Dates in Traditional Chinese
At Banyan Breakfast, Maya notices a birthday card behind the till. Its name is missing, and Auntie Lin changes the subject.
Learn to ask today's date, say a month and day, and talk about birthdays next month or next year.
Listen for the date ending and the month names. A-Li's soy milk is still unfinished, and the card stays unexplained.
By the end of this lesson
Ask what today's date is, say a month and day, name the months, and ask when someone's birthday is.
- 今天幾號？What's the date today?
- 十月十二號October 12th.
- 下個月Next month.
- 你的生日是什麼時候？When's your birthday?
- 一月到十二月January to December.
- 明年Next year.
Scene — a card behind the till
At Banyan Breakfast, a birthday card hangs behind the till. The card has no name, and Auntie Lin will not say who it is for.
Maya asks about the date while A-Li sits at the back with his soy milk. His words hint at old shop memories, but nothing explains the card.
Learn — months and dates
These six lines help you ask for today's date, say a month and day, and talk about birthdays.
Listen to each phrase, then say it aloud. Notice how the month range runs from January through December.
今天幾號？
What's the date today?
When to use it: Ask this when you want to know today's calendar date.
Learn it as one piece.
十月十二號
October 12th.
When to use it: Say this to give a month and day.
Learn it as one piece.
下個月
Next month.
When to use it: Use this for the month after the current one.
Learn it as one piece.
你的生日是什麼時候？
When's your birthday?
When to use it: Ask someone when their birthday is.
Learn it as one piece.
一月到十二月
January to December.
When to use it: Use this to name the full range of months.
Learn it as one piece.
明年
Next year.
When to use it: Use this for the year after the current one.
Learn it as one piece.
Story — the birthday card
Maya notices the birthday card behind the till at Banyan Breakfast. Auntie Lin gives a date, but the card has no name.
A-Li hints that someone used to visit the shop often. The neighbors leave the card unexplained, and his soy milk remains unfinished.
Maya今天幾號？What's the date today?
Auntie Lin十月十二號。October 12th.- Maya牆上有一張生日卡。There's a birthday card on the wall.
- Auntie Lin沒有名字。It has no name.
- Auntie Lin你的生日是什麼時候？When's your birthday?
- Maya下個月。Next month.
A-Li以前有人常來。Someone used to come here often.- Auntie Lin月曆從幾月到幾月？From which month to which month does the calendar go?
- Maya一月到十二月。January to December.
- A-Li明年再說吧，豆漿還沒喝完。Let's talk about it next year; I haven't finished my soy milk.
Practice — talk about dates
Try ten short exercises about dates, months, and birthdays. Listen, choose a useful line, and build a question.
Some exercises revisit familiar words for today and the days of the week.
0 of 10 done
What do you say?
What do you say?
You want to know today's calendar date. Ask Auntie Lin.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
十月十二號
Build the line
Build the line
When's your birthday?
？
Tap the words in order.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
January to December.
一月____十二月
Match the pairs
Traditional Chinese
下個月Drop the English here明年Drop the English here十月十二號Drop the English here一月到十二月Drop the English hereEnglish
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
The card may be for someone whose birthday is not until next year. Say next year.
What do you say?
What do you say?
Say the word for today, not tomorrow.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
Someone asks when your birthday is. Answer that it is next month.
Say it — ask about a birthday
You are Maya at Banyan Breakfast. Ask Auntie Lin about the date, then talk with A-Li about birthdays.
Listen to each line before your turn. Say the English cue aloud in Mandarin, and let the conversation continue.
- Maya notices the birthday card behind the till.
- Auntie Lin牆上有一張生日卡。There's a birthday card on the wall.
- Maya (you)Ask what today's date is.
Ask what today's date is.
今天幾號？
What's the date today?
0 of 3 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 今天幾號？ | What's the date today? | |
| 十月十二號 | October 12th. | |
| 下個月 | Next month. | |
| 你的生日是什麼時候？ | When's your birthday? | |
| 一月到十二月 | January to December. | |
| 明年 | Next year. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Today's date and birthday phrases are in Yak Cards with more useful lines to review.
Review the month and date cards a little each day so these phrases come easily.
Open Yak Cards