Spanish Phrase
¿Qué fecha es hoy?
Meaning
The sentence literally asks “What date is today?” and is the most direct way to request the calendar date in Spanish. It can be used in both formal and informal settings.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to know the exact day of the month, for example when checking a schedule, confirming a deadline, or simply making small talk about the day.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quéfechaeshoy
Qué (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask for specific information; it agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
fecha (noun)
A feminine noun meaning “date” (calendar day).
es (ser, 3rd‑person singular)
The verb ser is used for identity and definition; here it links the subject “fecha” with its value.
hoy (adverb of time)
Means “today” and usually appears at the end of the sentence in questions.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué fecha es hoy?
What date is today?
Hoy es 15 de marzo de 2026.
Today is March 15, 2026.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Qué día es hoy?
While understandable, “qué día” asks for the day of the week, not the calendar date.
Es hoy qué fecha?
Spanish word order for questions places the interrogative word at the beginning.
¿Qué fecha hoy es?
The verb “es” must come directly after the noun phrase; placing “hoy” before it sounds unnatural.
↔Alternatives
¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy?
What is today's date?
¿Qué día es hoy?
What day is today?
¿Qué fecha tenemos?
What date do we have?
Cultural Tip
In Spanish‑speaking countries the standard date format is day‑month‑year (e.g., 15 de marzo de 2026). When speaking, you usually say the day number followed by “de” and the month, then “de” and the year. In formal writing you may see the numeric format 15/03/2026. Remember that “fecha” is feminine, so adjectives that modify it must agree (e.g., “una fecha importante”).