German Months and Seasons

After this lesson you can give a date and say when your birthday is.

German Months and Seasons

Twelve months and four seasons, and every one of them takes im. Most of the month names you can already half read.

Twelve months and four seasons, and every one of them takes im. Most of the month names you can already half read.

The twelve months1/6

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Januar

Jänner in Austria

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Kulturnotiz

Austrians say Jänner, not Januar — and Feber is still heard for Februar. If you are learning German for Vienna rather than Berlin, Jänner is the form you will see on official forms and hear on the radio. Germans understand it perfectly; it simply marks you as Austrian.

Common questions

+Why is it im Januar and not in Januar?

im is a contraction of in + dem, and months are grammatically masculine (der Januar), so the dative is dem Januar — shortened to im. German contracts this pair automatically.

+What is the difference between am and im for time?

am for days and parts of the day (am Montag, am Abend); im for months and seasons (im Juli, im Winter); um for clock times (um acht Uhr). Lesson 25 covers all three together.

+Why do Germans say "Juno" and "Julei"?

Because Juni and Juli are nearly indistinguishable over a phone or a loudspeaker. The altered forms exist purely to prevent expensive misunderstandings about dates.

+How do I write a date in German?

Day first, with a full stop after the number: 3. Oktober 2026, or 03.10.2026. Note that 03.10 means 3 October, not 10 March — the reverse of American order.

Practise these words

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