Portuguese Phrase
Hoje é primeiro de maio.
Meaning
This phrase is a direct statement identifying the current date as the first of May. In Portuguese, the first day of the month is uniquely referred to using an ordinal number, unlike the rest of the days which use cardinal numbers.
When to use
Use this phrase in daily conversation when someone asks for the date or when noting the start of the month. It is particularly relevant in Brazil as May 1st is a major national holiday.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Hojeéprimeirodemaio
Hoje
The word for 'today'. Note that the 'h' is always silent in Portuguese.
Ser (é)
The verb 'ser' is used here to state the date, indicating a fixed point in time.
Primeiro
This means 'first'. Portuguese is unique in using the ordinal number only for the first day of the month.
🗨In Conversation
Que dia é hoje?
What day is today?
Hoje é primeiro de maio.
Today is May 1st.
✕Common Mistakes
Hoje é um de maio.
For the first day of the month, Portuguese speakers always use the ordinal 'primeiro' instead of the cardinal 'um'.
Hoje é primeiro de Maio.
Months of the year are not capitalized in Portuguese unless they start a sentence.
↔Alternatives
Estamos no dia primeiro de maio.
We are on the day of May 1st.
Hoje é o feriado de primeiro de maio.
Today is the May 1st holiday.
Cultural Tip
May 1st is celebrated as 'Dia do Trabalhador' (Labor Day) across the Portuguese-speaking world. It is a public holiday where most businesses are closed, and many people attend public events or spend time with family.