Japanese Calendar Systems

Before diving into the mechanics of dates in Japanese grammar, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the calendar systems used in Japan. There are two primary calendar systems to consider:

• Gregorian Calendar: This is the internationally recognized calendar system, also known as the Western calendar. In Japan, it’s mainly used on official documents, news sources, and in daily conversations. The months and days are expressed using Arabic numerals or Japanese kanji.
• Japanese Era Calendar: This calendar system is based on the reign of the current Emperor. Each Emperor’s era has a specific name, with the current era being Reiwa (令和). In official documents and formal settings, it’s common to use Japanese era dates alongside Gregorian dates for clarity.

Expressing Dates in Japanese Grammar

In Japanese grammar, dates are usually formatted as year-month-day. Let’s examine each of these components more closely:

1. Year: For the Gregorian calendar, years are expressed using Arabic numerals followed by the word “nen” (年), which means “year.” For example, the year 2021 would be written as “2021年”. In the Japanese era calendar, the current era name precedes the year number. Hence, the year 2021 in Reiwa would be written as “令和3年” (Reiwa 3).
2. Month: Months are expressed using Arabic numerals or traditional Japanese kanji, followed by the word “gatsu” (月), meaning “month.” For example, May would be written as “5月” or “五月”.
3. Day: Days are expressed using Arabic numerals or Japanese kanji, followed by the word “nichi” (日), meaning “day.” However, some days have unique pronunciations, such as the 1st (tsuitachi, 1日), 2nd (futsuka, 2日), 3rd (mikka, 3日), and so on. Regular day pronunciations resume from the 11th (jūichinichi, 11日) onward.

When combining these components, a date like May 17, 2021, would be expressed as “2021年5月17日” in the Gregorian calendar and “令和3年5月17日” in the Japanese era calendar.

Telling the Date in Japanese Sentences

When incorporating dates into Japanese sentences, don’t forget the essential grammar particle “ni” (に). This particle is crucial as it denotes a specific point in time. For example, a sentence like “I went to Japan on January 5th” would be written as “1月5日に日本に行きました” (ichigatsu itsuka ni Nihon ni ikimashita).

Days of the Week in Japanese

Another crucial aspect of dates in Japanese grammar is expressing days of the week. In Japanese, each day of the week is named after a classical element:

• Monday (getsuyōbi, 月曜日): Moon
• Tuesday (kayōbi, 火曜日): Fire
• Wednesday (suiyōbi, 水曜日): Water
• Thursday (mokuyōbi, 木曜日): Wood
• Friday (kinyōbi, 金曜日): Gold
• Saturday (doyōbi, 土曜日): Earth
• Sunday (nichiyōbi, 日曜日): Sun

Keep in mind that when describing something happening on a specific day, “ni” (に) particle should also be used.

Conclusion

Mastery of dates in Japanese grammar is an indispensable skill for anyone looking to communicate effectively in the language. By understanding and applying the concepts covered in this guide, you’ll quickly become proficient in expressing and comprehending dates, making your journey to fluency smoother and more enjoyable.