月
月 in useful words
Learn the character in complete words, because its pronunciation can change with context. Read each word aloud, connect it with the meaning, and then cover the reading to test yourself.
- 今月こんげつ
- this month
- 先月せんげつ
- last month
- 毎月まいつき
- every month; each month; monthly
- 来月らいげつ
- next month
Reading 月 in context
月 is つき when it means the moon, げつ in 月曜日 (げつようび, Monday), and がつ in 四月 (しがつ, April). Associate each sound with its word: the English cue “month” alone cannot choose the reading.
Try it in a sentence
Practice sentence written for this site.
四月に日本に行きます。
しがつに にほんに いきます。
I will go to Japan in April.
Watch for this: The usual reading of 四月 is しがつ, not よんがつ. Learn the number and がつ together as the name of a month.
Practise this reading in the calendar lesson →Choose your next practice
For reading, cover a word’s pronunciation and recall it before checking. For handwriting, hide the stroke diagram and write the character from memory. An isolated reading list is a reference; the word determines which sound you need.