12 Essential Months in Spanish You Need to Know in 2025! 📅


Video: 🎶 Learn the Months of the Year in Spanish Song – Kid’s Spanish songs.








Have you ever stumbled trying to say your birthday month in Spanish or wondered why septiembre sounds like “September” but actually means the ninth month? You’re not alone! Months are one of those deceptively simple topics that can trip up even intermediate learners. But don’t worry — by the time you finish this guide, you’ll not only know all 12 months in Spanish but also master their pronunciation, grammar, cultural significance, and even the quirks of writing dates like a pro.

Here’s a fun fact: the names of the last four months in Spanish still reflect their original positions in the ancient Roman calendar, which started in March! Curious how octubre means “eighth month” but is actually the tenth? Stick around — we’ll unravel this and much more with tips, tricks, and real-life examples that will make your Spanish calendar skills shine.

Key Takeaways

  • Learn all 12 months in Spanish with correct pronunciation and spelling.
  • Understand important grammar rules: months are masculine and never capitalized unless starting a sentence.
  • Master writing dates in Spanish: day/month/year format and proper use of prepositions.
  • Discover the fascinating Roman origins behind month names and their cultural significance across Spanish-speaking countries.
  • Avoid common pitfalls like confusing date formats or mispronouncing the tricky “j” sound in junio and julio.
  • Boost retention with proven memory hacks like using Spanish calendars, mnemonic devices, and songs.

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Table of Contents

Here is the main body of the article, crafted by the expert team at Spanish Scholar™.

Welcome, future Spanish-speaking superstar! You’ve landed in the right place. We’re the team at Spanish Scholar™, and we’ve taught thousands of students just like you how to navigate the beautiful, sometimes tricky, world of Spanish. Today, we’re tackling a fundamental topic that trips up so many learners: the months of the year.

Forget boring lists and dry grammar rules. We’re going to inject some sabor into this lesson! By the end of this article, you’ll not only know the months in Spanish, but you’ll also understand the culture, the grammar, and the little secrets that will make you sound less like a textbook and more like a native speaker.

Ready to turn the page on your calendar confusion? ¡Vamos!

⚡️ Quick Tips and Facts for Mastering Months in Spanish

Before we dive deep, let’s get you started with some quick wins. Think of this as your cheat sheet for sounding smart right away. It’s one of the first things we teach in our Spanish Language Learning courses because it builds so much confidence. And hey, if you’re just starting out, knowing the months is almost as important as knowing 35+ Ways to Say “How Are You?” in Spanish!

Here’s a handy table with the essentials:

Feature The Spanish Way Quick Tip & Example
Capitalization ❌ Never capitalized (unless starting a sentence) My birthday is in diciembre. -> *Mi cumpleaños es en diciembre.*
Gender ✅ Always masculine The word for month, el mes, is masculine, and so are all the months!
Pronunciation Sounds similar to English, but with Spanish flair! The ‘j’ in junio and julio sounds like the ‘h’ in “hello”.
Date Format Day / Month / Year Independence Day (US) is 4/7/1776. -> 4 de julio de 1776.
The Word “Month” el mes (singular) / los meses (plural) ¿Cuál es tu mes favorito? (What is your favorite month?)

🗓️ Unveiling the Calendar: The 12 Months in Spanish

Alright, let’s meet the stars of the show! The good news? Many of these will look familiar thanks to their shared Latin roots. We’ll give you the name, a pronunciation hint, and a little something to help it stick.

1. Enero (January): Kicking Off the Year!

  • Spanish: enero
  • Sounds like: eh-NEH-roh
  • Memory Hook: In Spain and much of Latin America, the big gift-giving day isn’t Christmas, but Día de Reyes (Three Kings’ Day) on January 6th. So, enero is for entregar regalos (delivering gifts)!

2. Febrero (February): Short & Sweet!

  • Spanish: febrero
  • Sounds like: feh-BREH-roh
  • Memory Hook: Febrero is the shortest month, and it’s full of love for El Día de San Valentín. Just remember to roll that “r” a little!

3. Marzo (March): Springing into Action!

  • Spanish: marzo
  • Sounds like: MAR-soh
  • Memory Hook: Marzo marches in with the start of spring (la primavera) in the Northern Hemisphere. The “z” in most of Spain sounds like “th” in “think,” while in Latin America it’s a simple “s” sound.

4. Abril (April): Showers of Learning!

  • Spanish: abril
  • Sounds like: ah-BREEL
  • Memory Hook: The famous Spanish proverb says, “En abril, aguas mil” which means “In April, a thousand waters” (referring to heavy rains). It’s the perfect month for indoor study!

5. Mayo (May): Blooming with Knowledge!

  • Spanish: mayo
  • Sounds like: MY-oh
  • Memory Hook: Flowers are blooming, and so is your Spanish! Mayo is home to holidays like Cinco de Mayo (celebrated more in the US, but still a great memory hook!) and Día de la Madre in many countries.

6. Junio (June): Summer Vibes!

  • Spanish: junio
  • Sounds like: HOO-nee-oh
  • Memory Hook: Remember this key rule: The ‘j’ in Spanish sounds like an ‘h’ in English. As the team at Woodward Spanish points out, “The J at the beginning of JUNIO and JULIO is pronounced like an H in English.” Junio kicks off the summer (el verano).

7. Julio (July): Hot, Hot, Hot!

  • Spanish: julio
  • Sounds like: HOO-lee-oh
  • Memory Hook: Just like junio, the ‘j’ is an ‘h’ sound. Julio is often the hottest month of the year in the Northern Hemisphere—perfect for a trip to the playa (beach)!

8. Agosto (August): Back to School (or Beach)!

  • Spanish: agosto
  • Sounds like: ah-GOHS-toh
  • Memory Hook: While some are heading back to school, many in Spain are on their main holiday in agosto. It’s the month of the famous La Tomatina festival!

9. Septiembre (September): Fall into Fluency!

  • Spanish: septiembre (or sometimes setiembre)
  • Sounds like: sep-tee-EM-breh
  • Memory Hook: As fall (el otoño) begins, septiembre marks Independence Day for many Latin American countries like Mexico, Chile, and Costa Rica. Note: While septiembre is standard, ThoughtCo mentions that some countries like Peru prefer the shorter setiembre.

10. Octubre (October): Spooky & Spanish!

  • Spanish: octubre
  • Sounds like: ok-TOO-breh
  • Memory Hook: While Halloween is gaining popularity, the end of octubre leads into the hugely important Día de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico and other regions.

11. Noviembre (November): Giving Thanks in Spanish!

  • Spanish: noviembre
  • Sounds like: noh-vee-EM-breh
  • Memory Hook: The ‘v’ in Spanish often sounds like a ‘b’. Think “no-bee-EM-breh”. It’s a month for giving thanks and remembering loved ones.

12. Diciembre (December): Festive & Fluent!

  • Spanish: diciembre
  • Sounds like: dee-see-EM-breh
  • Memory Hook: Diciembre is packed with holidays, from Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) to Nochevieja (New Year’s Eve). It’s the perfect time to show off your new language skills with family and friends!

🗣️ Pronunciation Perfection: Sounding Out Spanish Months Like a Native

Let’s be honest, you don’t just want to know the months, you want to say them correctly. Nothing gives away a beginner faster than mispronunciation. We’ve seen it a thousand times! Here’s a breakdown to get you sounding smooth. For extra practice, we recommend listening to native speakers on a site like Forvo.

Spanish Month Phonetic Spelling (Simplified) 🎤 Pro Tip
enero eh-NEH-roh The ‘e’ is short and sharp, like in “bet”.
febrero feh-BREH-roh Practice a soft, tapped ‘r’ sound. It’s not the hard English ‘r’.
marzo MAR-soh In Latin America, ‘z’ = ‘s’. In Spain, ‘z’ = ‘th’ (as in “think”).
abril ah-BREEL The ‘a’ is open, like the ‘a’ in “father”.
mayo MY-oh The ‘y’ sounds like the ‘y’ in “yes”.
junio HOO-nee-oh Crucial: The ‘j’ is a breathy ‘h’ sound. Never a ‘j’ like in “jungle”.
julio HOO-lee-oh Same ‘j’ as junio. Don’t mix them up!
agosto ah-GOHS-toh The ‘g’ is hard, like in “go”.
septiembre sep-tee-EM-breh Break it down: sep-ti-em-bre. Four syllables.
octubre ok-TOO-breh The ‘c’ is hard, like a ‘k’.
noviembre noh-vee-EM-breh The ‘v’ sounds very similar to a ‘b’. It’s a soft, bilabial sound.
diciembre dee-see-EM-breh The ‘c’ here is soft, like an ‘s’.

📚 Mastering the Grammar: How to Use Months in Spanish Sentences

Knowing the words is step one. Using them correctly in a sentence is how you achieve fluency. Let’s clear up the two biggest grammar hurdles right now. This is essential for your Spanish Vocabulary toolkit.

Capitalization Conundrums: To Capitalize or Not to Capitalize? 🤔

This is a big one. In English, we capitalize months out of respect. In Spanish, you don’t! It feels weird at first, but it’s a non-negotiable rule.

As the experts at ThoughtCo state, “Months are not capitalized in Spanish (except at the beginning of a sentence or composition title).”

Let’s see it in action:

  • ❌ Incorrect: La fiesta es en Octubre.
  • ✅ Correct: La fiesta es en octubre.
  • ✅ Correct (at start of sentence): Octubre es un mes bonito.

Articles & Prepositions: The Little Words That Matter

When do you use en (in/on) versus el (the)? It’s simpler than you think.

  1. Use en for general statements about a month:

    • Viajamos en agosto. (We travel in August.)
    • Mi cumpleaños es en marzo. (My birthday is in March.)

  2. Use el when specifying a date: This is for saying “on the [date] of [month]”.

    • La reunión es el 5 de mayo. (The meeting is on the 5th of May.)
    • Nos casamos el 22 de noviembre. (We are getting married on the 22nd of November.)

Notice you don’t need a separate word for “on”. The el does all the work!

✍️ Dating Like a Pro: Writing Dates in Spanish

Writing the date is another area where English speakers get turned around. In the US, the format is Month/Day/Year. In almost all Spanish-speaking countries (and most of the world), it’s Day/Month/Year. Getting this right is a huge step in your Spanish Language Learning journey.

Formal vs. Informal: Different Strokes for Different Folks

Let’s take the date September 16, 2025.

Format How to Write It How to Say It
Full Formal el 16 de septiembre de 2025 el dieciséis de septiembre de dos mil veinticinco
Numeric 16/09/2025 or 16-09-2025 (Same as above)
US Format (for comparison) 09/16/2025 (This would be confusing in a Spanish context!)

Pro Tip: The only exception for using ordinal numbers (first, second, third) is for the first of the month. You can say el primero de enero (the first of January), but after that, it’s back to cardinal numbers (el dos, el tres, el cuatro…).

Short and Sweet: Abbreviating Months and Dates in Spanish

Need to save space? Spanish has standard three-letter abbreviations, though they aren’t used as commonly in everyday writing as in English. They are officially recognized by the RAE (Real Academia Española).

  • enero: ene.
  • febrero: feb.
  • marzo: mar.
  • abril: abr.
  • mayo: may.
  • junio: jun.
  • julio: jul.
  • agosto: ago.
  • septiembre: sep. or set.
  • octubre: oct.
  • noviembre: nov.
  • diciembre: dic.

Notice the period at the end! It’s required for these to be correct abbreviations.

🏛️ Unraveling the Roots: The Fascinating History Behind Spanish Month Names

Ever wondered why septiembre (September), our 9th month, has the Latin root for “seven” (septem) in it? It’s a fantastic historical puzzle! The answer lies with the ancient Romans. Their original calendar only had 10 months and started in March!

Here’s a quick trip back in time:

  • enero: Named for Janus, the Roman god of doors and beginnings. Makes sense for the start of the year!
  • febrero: From Februa, a Roman festival of purification.
  • marzo: Named for Mars, the god of war. This was the first month of the old Roman calendar, a time when military campaigns would begin.
  • abril: From the Latin aperire, “to open,” as in flowers opening in spring.
  • mayo: Named for Maia, a goddess of growth and fertility.
  • junio: Named for the goddess Juno, protector of marriage and women.
  • julio: Renamed in honor of Julius Caesar after his death.
  • agosto: Renamed in honor of the first Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar.
  • septiembre, octubre, noviembre, diciembre: This is the fun part! These are just the Latin numbers for 7, 8, 9, and 10 (septem, octo, novem, decem). They were the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th months of that old Roman calendar. When January and February were added to the beginning, the names stuck even though their positions changed!

🌍 Months in Context: Seasons, Holidays, and Cultural Connections

Learning the months is more than memorization; it’s about understanding the rhythm of life in Spanish-speaking cultures. This is where our Spanish Cultural Insights really come alive.

The Spanish Seasons: When Do They Happen? ☀️❄️

This is a HUGE point of confusion. Remember that the seasons are flipped in the Southern Hemisphere! Christmas in Argentina is a summer barbecue, not a snowy evening.

Season Northern Hemisphere (e.g., Spain, Mexico) Southern Hemisphere (e.g., Argentina, Chile, Peru)
La primavera (Spring) marzo, abril, mayo septiembre, octubre, noviembre
El verano (Summer) junio, julio, agosto diciembre, enero, febrero
El otoño (Autumn/Fall) septiembre, octubre, noviembre marzo, abril, mayo
El invierno (Winter) diciembre, enero, febrero junio, julio, agosto

Fiestas & Celebrations: Key Holidays by Month 🎉

Connecting months to major holidays is a fantastic way to make them memorable. Here are just a few:

  • Enero: Año Nuevo (New Year’s Day) & Día de Reyes (Three Kings’ Day).
  • Marzo/Abril: Semana Santa (Holy Week), a massive celebration leading up to Easter. The dates change each year.
  • Mayo: Cinco de Mayo (Mexico), Día del Trabajo (Labor Day, May 1st).
  • Septiembre: Independence Days for Mexico (Sept 16), Chile (Sept 18), and others.
  • Noviembre: Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead, Nov 1-2) in Mexico.
  • Diciembre: Nochebuena (Christmas Eve, Dec 24) & Nochevieja (New Year’s Eve, Dec 31).

❌ Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them When Using Spanish Months

We see these mistakes all the time. Dodge them, and you’ll be ahead of the curve!

  1. The Capitalization Crime:

    • ❌ Nos vemos en Agosto.
    • ✅ Nos vemos en agosto.

  2. The Date Mix-Up:

    • ❌ Writing 12/10/2025 and meaning December 10th. A Spanish speaker will read it as October 12th.
    • ✅ Always use Day/Month/Year: 10/12/2025.

  3. The ‘J’ Flub:

    • ❌ Pronouncing junio with a hard “j” sound like “June-ee-oh”.
    • ✅ Using a soft ‘h’ sound: HOO-nee-oh.

  4. Forgetting the Preposition:

    • ❌ Mi examen es el marzo. (This sounds like “My exam is the March.”)
    • ✅ Mi examen es en marzo. (My exam is in March.)
    • ✅ Mi examen es el 15 de marzo. (My exam is on the 15th of March.)

🧠 Memory Hacks & Learning Strategies for Spanish Months

Ready to lock this vocabulary in for good? Try these teacher-approved strategies from our Spanish Language Resources vault.

  • Get a Physical Calendar: This is our number one tip. Buy a wall or desk calendar in Spanish. Seeing the words every day creates effortless exposure.
  • Use Mnemonics: Create silly sentences. “My oh my, it’s hot in mayo!” or “Nobody visits in noviembre.” The weirder, the better!
  • Listen to Music: Search for “meses del año canción” on YouTube. Catchy songs are amazing for memorization. There are tons of great options for kids that work wonders for adults, too.
  • Change Your Phone’s Language: Feeling brave? Change your device’s language to Spanish. You’ll see the date and months constantly!
  • Use Flashcard Apps: Apps like Anki (for serious learners) or the built-in tools in Duolingo and Babbel use spaced repetition to drill vocabulary into your long-term memory.

Looking for a great Spanish-language planner to help you practice?

👉 Shop Spanish Planners on:

💬 Real-Life Conversations: Using Months in Everyday Spanish

Let’s put it all together. The goal of learning is communication, right? Here are some mini-dialogues you might have. This is the heart of Spanish Conversation Practice.

Scenario 1: Asking for a birthday

  • You: ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?)
  • Friend: Mi cumpleaños es el veinte de abril. ¿Y el tuyo? (My birthday is on the 20th of April. And yours?)
  • You: ¡Qué chevere! El mío es en septiembre. (How cool! Mine is in September.)

Scenario 2: Making plans

  • You: ¿Estás libre para viajar en julio? (Are you free to travel in July?)
  • Colleague: Uhm, julio es complicado. ¿Qué tal en agosto? (Uhm, July is complicated. How about in August?)
  • You: Perfecto. Planeamos algo para la primera semana de agosto. (Perfect. Let’s plan something for the first week of August.)

Scenario 3: Talking about the weather

  • You: ¡Hace mucho frío! No me gusta el invierno. (It’s so cold! I don’t like winter.)
  • Neighbor: A mí tampoco. Prefiero el calor de junio y julio. (Me neither. I prefer the heat of June and July.)

🎁 Bonus: Days of the Week & Years in Spanish (A Quick Peek!)

You’ve mastered the months! Feeling unstoppable? Here’s a quick look at what’s next on your journey through the Spanish calendar.

  • Days of the Week (Los días de la semana): Like the months, these are not capitalized and are all masculine.

    • lunes (Monday)
    • martes (Tuesday)
    • miércoles (Wednesday)
    • jueves (Thursday)
    • viernes (Friday)
    • sábado (Saturday)
    • domingo (Sunday)

  • Saying the Year (El año): You just say the number! For years in the 2000s, you say dos mil (two thousand) + the number.

    • 1995: mil novecientos noventa y cinco
    • 2024: dos mil veinticuatro

See? You’re already on your way to mastering even more! We’ll save the deep dive on those for another day.

🎯 Conclusion: Your Journey to Spanish Fluency, Month by Month!

Congratulations! You’ve just unlocked the secrets behind the months in Spanish — from their pronunciation quirks to their fascinating Roman roots, and from grammar rules to cultural celebrations. Remember, mastering the months is more than memorizing a list; it’s about weaving them into your daily conversations, understanding their place in the Spanish-speaking world’s rhythm, and confidently using them in writing and speech.

We started with quick tips and ended with real-life dialogues, so you now have a full toolkit to not only recognize but also use the months like a native. No more stumbling over the tricky ‘j’ sounds in junio and julio, no more capitalization confusion, and no more date format mix-ups!

If you ever wondered how to make your Spanish sound natural and fluent, the answer lies in these small but mighty words that mark time itself. So, keep practicing, use the memory hacks, and immerse yourself in Spanish culture — your fluency will bloom month by month.

Ready to take your Spanish even further? Check out our recommended resources below and keep the momentum going!

Looking for the perfect tools to practice months and dates in Spanish? Here are some great picks:

❓ FAQ: Your Burning Questions About Spanish Months Answered!

How do you pronounce the months of the year in Spanish?

Pronunciation varies slightly by region, but generally:

  • The letter j in junio and julio is pronounced like the English “h” in “hello” (e.g., HOO-nee-oh).
  • The letter z in Spain often sounds like “th” in “think” (e.g., marzo sounds like “MAR-tho”), but in Latin America, it’s pronounced as an “s”.
  • Vowels are pure and short, unlike English diphthongs.

Listening to native speakers on platforms like Forvo or Woodward Spanish helps immensely.

What are the 12 months of the year in Spanish language?

The months are:

  • enero, febrero, marzo, abril, mayo, junio, julio, agosto, septiembre (or setiembre), octubre, noviembre, diciembre.

All are masculine and not capitalized unless starting a sentence.

How to learn the months of the year in Spanish quickly?

  • Use a Spanish calendar or planner to see the months daily.
  • Sing along with catchy songs like “Los meses del año” on YouTube.
  • Use mnemonic devices (e.g., “No vayas en noviembre”).
  • Change your phone or computer language settings to Spanish.
  • Practice with flashcard apps like Anki or Duolingo.
  • Engage in conversations using months in context.

What is the correct way to write the months of the year in Spanish?

  • Months are written in lowercase (except at the beginning of sentences).
  • Dates follow the format: el [day] de [month] de [year] (e.g., el 15 de marzo de 2024).
  • Numeric dates use day/month/year (e.g., 15/03/2024).
  • Abbreviations include ene., feb., mar., abr., may., jun., jul., ago., sep./set., oct., nov., dic. with a period.

Can you list all 12 months in Spanish in alphabetical order?

Yes! Alphabetically, they are:

  • abril, agosto, diciembre, enero, febrero, julio, junio, marzo, mayo, noviembre, octubre, septiembre.

How do you say the dates and months in Spanish in a sentence?

Use the structure:

  • el [number] de [month] for specific dates (e.g., el 4 de julio).
  • Use en for general references to months (e.g., en diciembre).
  • Example: Mi cumpleaños es el 23 de septiembre. (My birthday is September 23rd.)

What are some common phrases used with the months of the year in Spanish?

  • En enero empieza el año nuevo. (The new year starts in January.)
  • Nos vemos en marzo. (See you in March.)
  • La fiesta es el primero de mayo. (The party is on May 1st.)
  • Las lluvias abrileñas son comunes. (April showers are common.)
  • El verano es en julio y agosto. (Summer is in July and August.)

How to practice speaking the months of the year in Spanish with a native speaker?

  • Join language exchange platforms like italki or HelloTalk.
  • Attend local Spanish conversation meetups or online groups.
  • Use Spanish Scholar™’s Spanish Conversation Practice resources.
  • Practice by describing your calendar, birthdays, holidays, and plans in Spanish.
  • Record yourself and compare with native speakers using tools like Rocket Languages’ “Rocket Record.”

📚 Reference Links & Sources

We hope this deep dive has made the months in Spanish feel less like a mystery and more like your new friends. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be talking about dates, holidays, and plans with confidence and flair. ¡Buena suerte! 🌟

Spanish Teacher Team
Spanish Teacher Team

We’re the Spanish Teaching Team at Spanish Scholar™—a collaborative group of educators, linguists, and language lovers dedicated to helping you speak with confidence and connect with the cultures behind the words. Since 2007, we’ve crafted conversation practice, grammar tips, pronunciation guides, vocabulary builders, immersion strategies, and cultural insights that turn study time into real-world Spanish.

Our approach is simple: clarity over jargon, authentic examples, and friendly, step-by-step guidance you can use today—whether you need the perfect formal greeting, a natural way to say “yes,” or a set of sentences to practice right now. Every article is designed to be practical, culturally aware, and genuinely fun to learn from. Join us as we make Spanish more understandable, more usable, and more you. ¡Vamos!

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