Dates

Introduction

1. The word for date in Russian is число. This is a neuter noun. These are the expressions we use to ask 'what the date is, was, will be':
   Какое сегодня число?
   What is today's date?
   Какое число было вчера?
   What was yesterday's date?
   Какое число будет завтра?
   What will the date be tomorrow?
2. The answers to these questions will consist of the neuter form of an ordinal (date) followed by the month in the genitive case. The word число is used only in the question, not in the answer. Look at the examples:
   Сегодня пятое марта.
   Today is the fifth of March.
   Вчера было четвёртое марта.
   Yesterday was the fourth of March.
   Завтра будет шестое марта.
   Tomorrow will be the sixth of March.
3. Dates can also be used to answer the question когда? (when), or какого числа? (on what date):

   Когда они приедут из Москвы?
   When will they come from Moscow?
   Какого числа они приедут из Москвы?
   On what date will they come from Moscow?

Answering questions with dates

1. To answer the question когда? with a month, we use the preposition в and the month in the prepositional case:
   В декабре в Москве очень холодно.
   It's cold in December in Moscow.
2. With days of the week we use the preposition в and the day of the week in the accusative case:
   Oни приедут к нам в среду.
   They will come here on Wednesday.
3. When answering questions with a date and a month, we put both the date (ordinal) and the month in the genitive case:
   Они приедут седьмого ноября.
   They will come on the seventh of November.
4. When writing dates, Russians put the date first followed by the month and separated by a period:
   11.07 = July 11
5. Sometimes Russians will use Roman numerals for the month:
   11.VII

Expressing dates

1. When talking only about the year, you should use the preposition в and the ordinal form of the year in the prepositional case:
   Он родился в тысяча девятьсот семьдесят четвёртом году.
   He was born in 1974.
2. Remember that with ordinal numerals (which are actually adjectives) the word for the last number is the only one that will have endings.
3. If the month is included in the date, the month will be in the prepositional case (preceded by the preposition в), and the year will be in the genitive case:
   Она родилась в августе тысяча девятьсот семьдесят четвёртого года.
   She was born in August 1974.
4. When the date includes the day of the month, then every item (day, month, year) will be in the genitive case:
   Она родилась второго августа тысяча девятьсот семьдесят четвёртого года. She was born on August 2nd, 1974.