Days and months in French: lundi to dimanche: what children learn
Days and months let children talk about birthdays, the weather, timetables and the date at the top of their work. In French the week starts on lundi (Monday) and ends on dimanche (Sunday), and the months run from janvier to décembre. Unlike English, French days and months are written with small letters.
This game asks what a French day or month means in English, which French word matches an English one, and what comes next. It also checks how to say a date, using le premier for the 1st and ordinary numbers for other days, such as le deux mars. These are the building blocks for speaking in sentences, such as c’est lundi or mon anniversaire, c’est le dix juin.
This topic covers a Key Stage 2 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Subject content): pupils should be taught to “speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures”. The programme of study sets this for the whole of Key Stage 2, so schools choose when to teach it; we have placed this game in Year 5 (ages 9–10).
There is no direct equivalent in the US Common Core State Standards.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 150-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Learn the days in order. Lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi, vendredi, samedi, dimanche. Sing them to a tune.
- Spot the planets. Many days are named after planets or gods: lundi (Moon, la lune), mardi (Mars), mercredi (Mercury).
- Learn the months. Many look like English: janvier, mars, avril, juin. Août (August) is the tricky one.
- Say the date. Aujourd’hui, c’est lundi deux mars. For the 1st, use le premier.
- Use small letters. Write lundi and janvier, not Lundi and Janvier, unless they start a sentence.
Worked examples
Example 1: What is mercredi in English?
Working: It comes after mardi (Tuesday).
Answer: Wednesday.
Example 2: Which month comes after juin?
Working: Juin is June, so the next month is July.
Answer: Juillet.
Example 3: How do you say “the first of May”?
Working: The 1st uses premier, not un.
Answer: Le premier mai.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Mixing up mardi and mercredi. Mardi (Tuesday) comes first. Remember M-A before M-E, like in the alphabet.
- Mixing up juin and juillet. Juin (June) is shorter, like the shorter English word.
- Writing capital letters. French days and months use small letters.
Activities to try at home
- Say the day and date in French every morning.
- Make a French birthday calendar for the family.
- Look at a French calendar online.
- Print the game sheet and play it together.
Ideas for the classroom
- Write the French date on the board each day.
- Sing a days-of-the-week song as a warm-up.
- Birthday line-up: pupils stand in order of birthday month, saying it in French.
- Use the quiz as a starter.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Why does the French week start on Monday?
In France, calendars start on lundi (Monday).
Do the days come from planets?
Several do. Lundi comes from the Moon, mardi from Mars, mercredi from Mercury, jeudi from Jupiter and vendredi from Venus.
How do I ask someone’s birthday?
C’est quand, ton anniversaire? (When is your birthday?) The answer might be: c’est le douze octobre.