How to Say ‘Today is May 5th.’ in Japanese
今日は五月五日です。
kyou wa go gatsu itsu ka desu
[kyou wah goh GAH-tsoo EE-tsoo kah dess]
🇯🇵 In Japan: May 5th is こどもの日 "Children's Day", a national holiday at the end of Golden Week. Families fly carp-shaped streamers outside their homes.
Phrase Breakdown
今日は
kyou wa
today (topic)
今日 (kyou) means 'today', and は is pronounced 'wa'. Say 'kyoo-wa'.
今日は月曜日です。
Today is Monday.
Words in this phrase
今日
kyou
[kyou]
today
Refers to the current day.
今日は天気がいいです。
Today, the weather is nice.
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker; as for
A particle that marks the topic. Written は but pronounced わ.
今日は体のサイズを確認します。
As for today, I will check the body size.
五月五日です。
go gatsu itsu ka desu
is May 5th
五日 uses the special reading 'itsuka'. Say 'go-ga-tsu i-tsu-ka des'.
休みは五月五日です。
The holiday is May 5th.
Words in this phrase
五
go
[goh]
five
The number 5, used alone or as part of a larger number.
百七十五センチです。
It is 175 centimeters.
月
gatsu
[GAH-tsoo]
month
Counter for months; 五月 (gogatsu) is May.
五月は暖かいです。
May is warm.
五
itsu
[EE-tsoo]
five
The number five; read 'itsu' in 五日 (itsuka), the 5th day.
五日に休みます。
I'll rest on the 5th.
日
ka
[kah]
day (of the month)
Counter for days of the month; read 'ka' in itsuka.
八日は月曜日です。
The 8th is Monday.
です
desu
[dess]
is; polite copula
A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.
少し伺いたいです。
I would like to ask a little.
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