Have you ever been chatting with a Spanish speaker and they mentioned an event happening “en julio” or they asked you to meet up “el primero de marzo”? Understanding and using the month names in Spanish is crucial for smoothly navigating conversations and day-to-day situations.
Just like in English, referencing months is deeply woven into how we communicate things like birthdays, holidays, travel plans, appointments, etc. Without knowing the Spanish words for the months, you’d be pretty lost!
But learning the month names is more than just a practical necessity. Each one carries its history, culture, and flavor that gives insight into the rich traditions of the Spanish-speaking world. Where do they get their unusual pronunciations from? Why are some capitalized? What are their literal translations?
In this guide, we’ll go through each of the 12-month names in Spanish, explaining their origins, peculiarities, and examples of how to use them naturally. By the end, you’ll not only know them cold but appreciate the tapestry of influences that gave rise to these terms we all use without a second thought.
How to Pronounce Month Names in Spanish
Learning a new language means training your mouth to make unfamiliar sounds and speech patterns. When it comes to the month names in Spanish, some of them can be tongue-twisters for us English speakers!
However, it’s me, your sail board, who will help you to reach your destination effortlessly! Below, you will get the right pronunciation of every Spanish month, with common errors that beginners usually do, and the right examples!
How to Say “January” in Spanish
In Spanish, the month of January is called “enero.” Pretty straightforward translation, right? This term comes directly from the Latin word “ianuarius” referring to the Roman god Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions.
So “enero” quite literally means the start, the opening month kicking off a new year. A fitting name for the first month on the calendar!
Pronunciation Guide
Okay, now let’s make sure we’ve got the pronunciation of “enero” down pat. Even though it’s a short word, it’s got some subtle vowel sounds that can trip up English speakers.
Here’s the phonetic spelling to help train your ear: “ehn-err-oh“
See how that first “e” gets more of an “eh” sound, rather than “ee”? And the “r” gets that Classic Spanish rolled tongue motion.
It might help to think of how you’d say “Frenchy” but starting with that “eh” vowel instead. Or picture a perky puppy doing a little “rr rr rr” bark to remind you to really roll that “r.”
Usage in Context
Once you’ve nailed the pronunciation, try dropping “enero” into some common conversational phrases:
“Mi cumpleaños es en enero” (My birthday is in January) “El primero de enero es Año Nuevo” (The first of January is New Year’s) “En enero, las temperaturas son muy frías” (In January, the temperatures are very cold)
You’ll likely hear it come up a lot when talking about holidays, birthdays, weather patterns, and the like. Enero is the gateway to each new year after all!
Native speakers will be impressed when you confidentially and accurately use “enero” in sentences like these. It shows you took the time to really learn the language and culture.
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How to Say February in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of February is “febrero“. It derives from the Latin word “februarius”, which refers to the Roman festival of purification and atonement that took place in this month.
So while in English we associate February with Valentine’s Day and short month status, in Spanish, the name hints at its ritual cleansing roots from ancient times. A fun linguistic connection!
Pronunciation Guide
Okay, let’s make sure we get the pronunciation of “febrero” down pat. This one tends to trip up English speakers because that first “e” vowel sound is quite subtle.
The phonetic spelling is: “feh-brer-oh“
Notice how that first “e” gets more of a soft “eh” sound, rather than a drawn-out “eeee”. It’s almost like your mouth just gently opens to let a breath of air through.
The “r” also gets a distinctive rolled pronunciation that takes some practice for non-native speakers. Think of a Spanishpuppy doing a little tongue-trill “rrrr” and you’ve got it!
Usage in Context
Once you’re feeling confident about the pronunciation, try using “febrero” in some common phrases:
- “Mi cumpleaños es en febrero” (My birthday is in February)
- “En febrero, celebramos el día del amor” (In February, we celebrate Valentine’s Day)
- “Hace mucho frío en febrero” (It’s very cold in February)
You’ll likely hear it come up anytime someone discusses holidays, birthdays, weather patterns, or upcoming events in the new year.
How Do You Say March in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of March is “marzo“. It derives from the name of the Roman god of war, Mars.
So while we tend to associate March with the arrival of spring, the Spanish name marzo connects it to more ancient warrior/military connotations from the Roman era. Leave it to those poetic Spanish roots to give us such an interestingly contrasting linguistic backstory!
Pronunciation Guide
Now let’s ensure we’ve got the pronunciation of marzo down pat. This one can be tricky for English speakers because of that rolled ‘r’ sound.
The phonetic spelling is: “mar-thoh“
See how the ‘z’ actually makes a light ‘th’ sound instead of the harder ‘zzz’? Your tongue should gently hit the roof of your mouth.
And then there’s that wonderful rolled ‘rrrr’ that requires some vocal dexterity. TheKey is getting your tongue tip just raring to go with a gentle trill.
Usage in Context
With the pronunciation down, try using marzo naturally in some common phrases:
- “En marzo, llega la primavera” (In March, spring arrives)
- “El día de San Patricio es en marzo” (St. Patrick’s Day is in March)
- “Mi cumpleaños es el 15 de marzo” (My birthday is March 15th)
You’ll likely hear marzo anytime someone discusses seasonal changes, holidays, birthdays or events happening in early spring.
How to Say April in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of April is “abril”. It derives from the Latin word “aprilis”, which likely referred to the opening or opening buds of spring.
So while the English name doesn’t give us any obvious clues, that Spanish abril nicely captures the spirit of renewal and blossoming happening during this month. Leave it to those linguistic poets to paint such a vivid picture!
Pronunciation Guide
Okay, let’s make sure we nail the pronunciation of abril. This one can be tricky for English speakers because of that rolled ‘r’ situating right in the middle.
The phonetic spelling is: “ah-breel”
Notice how that first ‘a’ gets more of an “ah” sound rather than the “ey” like in English? Your mouth should be nice and open.
Then we’ve got that distinctive rolled ‘rrrr’ that is the bane of many a non-native speaker’s existence. The key is getting your tongue prepared and the tip pointed up to gently trill.
Usage in Context
With that pronunciation down, try using abril in some common phrases:
- “En abril, las flores están en plena floración” (In April, the flowers are in full bloom)
- “Los estudiantes tienen vacaciones en abril” (Students have vacation in April)
- “Mi cumpleaños es el 3 de abril” (My birthday is April 3rd)
You’ll likely hear abril anytime someone discusses spring, seasonal changes, holidays, birthdays, or events happening in early spring. It’s the gateway to the blooming months!
How to Say May in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of May is “mayo”. It derives from the Latin word “Maius”, which referred to the Roman goddess Maia, who oversaw the growth of plants and vegetation.
Isn’t it fitting that the name connects to botanical growth and fertility? After all, May is when spring is in full glorious bloom across much of the Spanish-speaking world. Those clever linguistic ancestors knew just how to encapsulate the spirit of each month!
Pronunciation Guide
Let’s ensure we’ve got the pronunciation of mayo down pat. This one shouldn’t be too tricky for English speakers, since the spelling is similar.
The phonetic spelling is: “mah-yo”
Notice how that first “a” gets more of an open “ah” sound rather than the “ey” sound we use in English. Let your mouth stay nice and relaxed.
The “y” also gets a distinct “yo” combination, almost like you’re letting out a little breath of air at the end. No need to over-pronounce it.
Usage in Context
Once you’ve nailed the pronunciation, try using mayo smoothly in conversation:
- “¿Qué haces en mayo para el Día de las Madres?” (What do you do in May for Mother’s Day?)
- “En mayo, las temperaturas son perfectas.” (In May, the temperatures are perfect.)
- “Mi cumpleaños es el 15 de mayo.” (My birthday is May 15th.)
You’ll likely hear mayo any time people discuss holidays, events, weather patterns, or any other springtime happenings happening in this fertile month of bloom and growth.
How Do You Say June in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of June is “junio”. It derives from the Latin word “iunius”, which in turn may have roots connecting it to the Roman goddess Juno.
While the English name doesn’t give us any obvious clues, that Spanish junio has an almost romantic, goddess-inspired ring to it. Befitting of a month that ushers in the warmth and long days of summer across many Spanish-speaking regions!
Pronunciation Guide
Now let’s master the pronunciation of junio. This one can trip up English speakers a bit because of the vowel-consonant combinations.
The phonetic spelling is: “hoo-nee-oh”
See how that first “ju” makes more of an extended “hoo” sound, rather than a hard “juh”? Your lips should be pursed in an ‘O’ shape.
Then you’ve got that distinctive “nee” in the middle utilizing those tongue-tapping skills many Spanish words require.
Usage in Context
With the pronunciation down, try using junio smoothly in conversation:
- “En junio, los niños están de vacaciones de verano.” (In June, the kids are on summer vacation.)
- “Muchas bodas son en junio.” (Many weddings happen in June.)
- “Mi cumpleaños es el 22 de junio.” (My birthday is June 22nd.)
You’ll likely hear junio anytime people discuss summer plans, events, the nice weather, or other warmth-filled happenings emblematic of this month.
How Do You Say July in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of July is “julio”. It derives from the name of Julius Caesar, the famous Roman ruler who instituted the Julian calendar that originally had July as the 5th month.
So while the English name gives no clues, the Spanish Julio honors the month’s ancient namesake. It’s a rich linguistic connection to those early calendar creators and the powerful emperor himself!
Pronunciation Guide
Let’s make sure we nail the pronunciation of Julio. Overall it’s not too tricky, but there are a couple of vowel sounds to watch out for.
The phonetic spelling is: “hoo-lee-oh”
Notice how the “ju” starts with more of an extended “hoo” sound, rather than a harder “juh”? Your lips should be pursed in an ‘O’ shape.
Then the “i” gets that distinct “ee” vowel sound that is common in Spanish. Don’t let it slur into an “uh” like we tend to in English.
Usage in Context
With the pronunciation down, try using julio naturally in conversation:
- “En julio, las temperaturas son muy calientes.” (In July, the temperatures are very hot.)
- “El Día de la Independencia es en julio.” (Independence Day is in July.)
- “Mi cumpleaños es el 12 de julio.” (My birthday is July 12th.)
Julio is a common topic of conversation when people talk about summer plans, events, holidays, weather patterns, or other occurrences during these warm months.
How Do You Say August in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of August is “agosto”. It derives from the Latin word “augustus”, which was the title given to the first Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar.
So while the English name gives no hint, the Spanish agosto honors an important historical figure from ancient Rome. It’s a linguistic link connecting the hot summer month to that powerful namesake ruler.
Pronunciation Guide
Let’s make sure we’ve got the pronunciation of agosto down pat. There are a couple of vowel sounds that can trip up English speakers.
The phonetic spelling is: “ah-gos-toh”
See how that first “a” gets more of an open “ahh” sound, rather than the “ey” like in English? Keep your mouth relaxed.
And the “o” endings also make distinct “oh” sounds in Spanish, not the “uh” we tend to slur in English.
Usage in Context
Once you nail the pronunciation, try using agosto smoothly in conversation:
- “En agosto, muchos toman sus vacaciones.” (In August, many people take their vacations.)
- “Hace mucho calor en agosto.” (It’s very hot in August.)
- “Mi cumpleaños es el 28 de agosto.” (My birthday is August 28th.)
You’ll likely hear agosto any time people discuss summer activities, vacations, hot weather, or other quintessential happenings of this sultry seasonal month.
Also Read: Expert Tips to Navigate Ordering at a Spanish Restaurant Like a Local
How to Say September in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of September is “septiembre”. It derives from the Latin word “september” which literally means the seventh month.
This connects back to the original Roman calendar where September was indeed the 7th month of the year, rather than the 9th as we have it now. Those linguistic origins give septiembre a fun peek into ancient timekeeping!
Pronunciation Guide
Now let’s master the pronunciation of septiembre. This one can trip up English speakers because of that tricky vowel combination at the end.
The phonetic spelling is: “sep-tee-em-bre”
That “iem” makes an almost “eem-breh” sound that doesn’t exist in English. Your tongue has to quickly tap that “m” right into the “breh” breath at the end.
The “sep” chunk at the beginning is pretty straightforward, just watch that you keep those e’s and vowels crisp instead of slurring them together like we tend to in English.
Usage in Context
With that pronunciation down, try using septiembre smoothly in conversation:
- “En septiembre, los niños regresan a la escuela.” (In September, the kids return to school.)
- “El inicio del otoño es en septiembre.” (The start of fall is in September.)
- “Mi cumpleaños es el 15 de septiembre.” (My birthday is September 15th.)
You’ll likely hear septiembre anytime people discuss back-to-school, changing seasons, weather shifts, or other early fall happenings and events.
How Do You Say October in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of October is “octubre“. It derives from the Latin word “october” which literally translates to “the eighth month”, as it was the 8th month in the ancient Roman calendar originally.
Pronunciation Guide
Octubre has a few tricky sounds that can catch out English speakers. The phonetic spelling is: “ock-too-breh”
That “ock” at the start is making almost a guttural “ock” sound by bringing your tongue back into your mouth.
Then you’ve got that distinct “oo” vowel sound that makes a pure “oo” like in “boot”, instead of the “uh” sound we use in English.
Finally, that ending “breh” requires quickly tapping the tongue on the roof of the mouth to get that crisp “br” sound.
Usage in Context
With the pronunciation down, try using octubre naturally:
- “En octubre, las hojas de los árboles cambian de color.” (In October, the leaves change color.)
- “El día de los muertos es en octubre.” (The Day of the Dead holiday is in October.)
- “Mi cumpleaños es el 27 de octubre.” (My birthday is October 27th.)
You’ll hear octubre anytime someone discusses fall events, holidays like Halloween, changing weather, or happenings related to that early autumn period.
Keep practicing and you’ll have all the month names down perfectly! Let me know if you need any other examples using octubre in context.
How to Say November in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of November is “noviembre“. It comes from the Latin “novem” meaning “nine”, as it was the 9th month in the original Roman calendar.
Pronunciation Guide
Noviembre can be tricky for English speakers because of that distinct vowel combination at the end. The phonetic spelling is: “no-vee-em-bre”
That “em-bre” makes an “eem-breh” sound by quickly tapping your tongue on the roof of your mouth for the “m” into the “breh” breath at the end.
The “no-vee” part is more straightforward – just be sure to cleanly hit that “ee” vowel sound instead of slurring it.
Usage in Context
Once you’ve got the pronunciation down, use noviembre naturally like:
“En noviembre, la temperatura baja.” (In November, the temperature drops.) “El Día de Acción de Gracias es en noviembre.” (Thanksgiving is in November.) “Mi cumpleaños es el 10 de noviembre.” (My birthday is November 10th.)
You’ll hear noviembre anytime someone mentions late fall events, holidays, weather changes, or other happenings as winter approaches.
How to Say December in Spanish
The Spanish word for the month of December is “diciembre“. It comes from the Latin “decem” meaning “ten”, as December was originally the 10th month in the ancient Roman calendar year.
Pronunciation Guide
Diciembre has a few vowel combinations that can trip up English speakers. The phonetic spelling is: “dee-see-em-bray”
Be sure to clearly hit that “ee” sound in “dee” without letting it slide into an “uh” vowel like we tend to in English.
The “em-bray” ending requires quickly tapping your tongue against the roof of your mouth for that crisp “em-br” combination before letting out the “ay” sound.
Usage in Context
With the pronunciation down, try using diciembre naturally like:
“En diciembre, celebramos la Navidad.” (In December, we celebrate Christmas.) “Las vacaciones de invierno son en diciembre.” (Winter break is in December.) “Mi cumpleaños es el 3 de diciembre.” (My birthday is December 3rd.)
You’ll likely hear diciembre anytime someone discusses holiday plans, winter weather/activities, end-of-year events, and other happenings related to this festive seasonal month.
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make with Spanish Month Names
Here are some common mistakes English speakers often make when trying to pronounce and use Spanish month names:
Mispronouncing vowel sounds In English, vowels are frequently slurred or shortened. But in Spanish, vowels should be pronounced crisply and purely. This causes issues with months like:
- Enero – Mispronouncing the “e” as an “eh” instead of a true “eh”
- Marzo – Letting the “a” slur into an “uh” instead of keeping it an “ah”
- Junio – Saying “juh-nee-oh” instead of “hoo-nee-oh”
Not rolling the “r”s
Rolled or trilled “r” sounds don’t exist in English, so mastering this for months like marzo, abril, and octubre is challenging for native English tongues at first.
Stressing the wrong syllables
We naturally want to stress the syllables that feel emphasized to our English ears, rather than following Spanish phonetic patterns. Abril and Agosto are commonly mispronounced this way.
Adding extra vowels
English has a lot of diphthongs and vowel blends. This causes us to unconsciously add extra vowel sounds to nice, clean Spanish syllables in words like febrero or septiembre.
Getting thrown by silent letters
We assume all letters make sounds, so silent ones like the “b” in nombres or the “e” in febrero can throw us off.
Using anglicized versions
It’s common for English speakers to incorrectly default to anglicized versions like “Joon” for junior or “Noh-vem-ber” which completely butchers the proper Spanish pronunciation.
Proper listening, repetition, and being aware of these tendencies is key for English speakers to overcome these stumbling blocks when speaking Spanish month names. With practice, those tricky letter combinations and new mouth movements become second nature.
Spanish Month Names in Poetry and Literature
The rich and poetic Spanish language has often incorporated the mellifluous month names into verses, proverbs, and literary works. Here are some examples of how Spanish writers and poets have woven these evocative words into their artistic expressions:
Poetry
- “Abril venía lloviendo…con un gran sombrero” (April came raining…with a big hat) – From “Abril” by Juan Ramón Jiménez, painting abril’s rainy start.
- “Julio es puro calor donde plumbagos ardientes luchan con rojos claveles” (July is pure heat where burning plumbagos wrestle with red carnations) – From “Meses” by Juan Calzadilla, vividly depicting julio’s sweltering nature.
- “Es ya septiembre en el año, y el brusco aire despeina marchitos ramajes” (It’s now septiembre in the year, and the brisk air unbraids withered branches) – From “Septiembre” by Rafael Pombo, capturing septiembre’s transitional essence.
Proverbs/Sayings
- “En abril, aguas mil” (In April, a thousand rains) – Referencing the rainy start to spring in many regions.
- “Agosto frío, invierno río” (Cold August, riverine winter) – Foreshadowing winter harshness from an abnormally cool agosto.
- “Por enero, vez la noche como el día entero” (In January, see the night like the whole day) – Commenting on enero’s long nights during winter.
Literature
- In the novel Cien Años de Soledad by Gabriel García Márquez, he writes “Era una mañana de octubre sin nubes” (It was a cloudless October morning) to set an autumnal scene.
- Renowned Mexican author Juan Rulfo hauntingly described noviembre in the short story “Luvina” – “Llovía todavía cuando desperté al amanecer del día cinco de noviembre.” (It was still raining when I awoke at daybreak on the fifth of November.)
With their distinctive sounds and seasonal connotations, the Spanish month names allow writers to deftly punctuate descriptions, add flair to phrasing, and poetically capture the spirit of different times throughout the year.
Recommended: Best Practices to Say When (Cuándo) in Spanish.
Spanish Month Abbreviations & Their Usage
Here are the common abbreviations for the Spanish month names and how they are typically used:
- Enero – Enero. “La fiesta será el 15 de enero.” (The party will be on the 15th of Jan.)
- Febrero – Feb. “Las inscripciones abren en feb.” (Registrations open in Feb.)
- Marzo – Mar. “¿Cuándo empieza la primavera? A mediados de mar.” (When does spring start? Mid-Mar.)
- Abril – Abr. “Nos casamos el 3 de abr. del año pasado.” (We got married on Apr. 3 last year.)
- Mayo – May. “Voy a viajar en may. por mi cumpleaños.” (I’ll travel in May for my birthday.)
- Junio – Jun. “Las vacaciones de verano empiezan en jun.” (Summer vacation begins in June.)
- Julio – Jul. “Hace mucho calor los días de jul.” (The days of July are very hot.)
- Agosto – Agosto. “¿Estás libre la primera semana de ago?” (Are you free the first week of Aug.?)
- Septiembre – Sep. or Sept. “Las clases reinician en sep. tras el verano.” (Classes restart in Sept. after summer.)
- Octubre – Oct. “Me encanta la temporada de otoño en oct.”
(I love the fall season in Oct.) - Noviembre – Nov. “El día de Acción de Gracias es en nov.” (Thanksgiving is in Nov.)
- Diciembre – Dic. “¡Llegaremos a casa para dic. sin falta!” (We’ll be home by Dec. without fail!)
These abbreviations are commonly used when writing out dates, discussing schedules, referencing holidays/events, or just shortening the month names conversationally.
You’ll see them used in calendars, planners, social media posts, notes, and anywhere a concise way to state the month name is helpful. Using the proper abbreviations shows proficiency in Spanish.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, nailing those Spanish month names is about more than just vocabulary. It’s your entry point into the culture, history, and sheer poetry of the language itself.
From Enero’s fresh start to Diciembre’s festive finale, each term holds engaging backstories and fascinating linguistic ties. Memorize them using those silly mnemonics we covered, and soon you’ll be breezing through “enero, febrero, marzo…” with total fluency.
More than words on a list, these are linguistic keys that’ll unlock a whole new level of connection with Spanish traditions, expressions, and vibrant worldviews. Put in the practice, and you’re in the club!
