What is the best way to write this: "the 1st of May" ?

Luis S.A2Kwiziq community member

What is the best way to write this: "the 1st of May" ?

For the above question, I am marked wrong for putting "le 1 mai", with the correct answer being "le 1er mai".

The lesson text implies to me that either are correct. It states that French dates require cardinal not ordinal numbers and includes "un (1)" in the list of examples of cardinal numbers. The "le premier (1er)" is then listed as an exception that "we do use". It is not clear from this whether "1er" must or may be used.

Could this please be clarified? 

Asked 1 year ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Luis,

What it means is that you only use 'ordinal numbers' for the first of the month and cardinal ones for the rest of the month - 

So you will have :

le 1er mai, le 2 mai, le 3 mai etc... le 31 mai 

le 1er décembre, le 2 décembre ... le 31 décembre 

1er = premier
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I agree, the lesson can be a bit misleading. The mention of "1 (un)" just serves to define what cardinal numbers are. With dates, you always use the ordinal number for the 1st of a month.

CécileNative French expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hi Chris and Luis, 

We have modified the explanation in the lesson so it is clearer.

Bonne Continuation !

Luis S.A2Kwiziq community member

Thanks, that clears it up!

adelegan m.A1Kwiziq community member

Le premier Mai

What is the best way to write this: "the 1st of May" ?

For the above question, I am marked wrong for putting "le 1 mai", with the correct answer being "le 1er mai".

The lesson text implies to me that either are correct. It states that French dates require cardinal not ordinal numbers and includes "un (1)" in the list of examples of cardinal numbers. The "le premier (1er)" is then listed as an exception that "we do use". It is not clear from this whether "1er" must or may be used.

Could this please be clarified? 

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