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French Phrase

C'est le 25 décembre.

/sɛ lə vɛ̃t.sɛ̃k de.sɑ̃bʁ/
Meaning"It is December 25th."
💡

Meaning

This phrase is the standard way to identify the date of Christmas in French. It uses the present tense of the verb 'être' combined with the demonstrative pronoun 'ce' to state a fact about the calendar.

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When to use

Use this phrase when someone asks for the date or when you want to specify that today is Christmas Day. It is suitable for both casual conversations and formal announcements.

✦Grammar Breakdown

C'estle25décembre

1

C'est

A contraction of 'ce' and 'est', used to identify or present a noun phrase like a date.

2

Definite Article 'le'

In French, dates are always preceded by the masculine singular article 'le'.

🗨In Conversation

A

Quelle est la date d'aujourd'hui ?

What is the date today?

C'est le 25 décembre.

It is December 25th.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Il est le 25 décembre.

    While 'il est' is used for telling time, 'c'est' is the correct form for identifying dates.

  • C'est le 25 de décembre.

    In French, you do not use a preposition like 'of' between the number and the month.

↔Alternatives

  • On est le 25 décembre.

    We are on December 25th (informal).

  • Nous sommes le 25 décembre.

    We are on December 25th (formal).

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Cultural Tip

In many French-speaking cultures, December 25th is a public holiday dedicated to family. While the 'Réveillon' feast often occurs on the night of the 24th, the 25th remains the official day for opening gifts and sharing a festive lunch.