Ethiopian Calendar Date Today & Converter
See today's date in the Ethiopian (Ge'ez) calendar and convert any date between Ethiopian and Gregorian. Includes the 13th month (Pagume) explanation and Ethiopian New Year date.
Ethiopian Calendar Months
| # | Month (Ge'ez) | Amharic Name | Gregorian Period | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meskerem (መስከረም) | September month | Sep 11 – Oct 10 | 30 |
| 2 | Tikimt (ጥቅምት) | — | Oct 11 – Nov 9 | 30 |
| 3 | Hidar (ህዳር) | — | Nov 10 – Dec 9 | 30 |
| 4 | Tahsas (ታህሳስ) | — | Dec 10 – Jan 8 | 30 |
| 5 | Tir (ጥር) | — | Jan 9 – Feb 7 | 30 |
| 6 | Yekatit (የካቲት) | — | Feb 8 – Mar 9 | 30 |
| 7 | Megabit (መጋቢት) | — | Mar 10 – Apr 8 | 30 |
| 8 | Miyazya (ሚያዝያ) | — | Apr 9 – May 8 | 30 |
| 9 | Ginbot (ግንቦት) | — | May 9 – Jun 7 | 30 |
| 10 | Sene (ሰኔ) | — | Jun 8 – Jul 7 | 30 |
| 11 | Hamle (ሐምሌ) | — | Jul 8 – Aug 6 | 30 |
| 12 | Nehase (ነሐሴ) | — | Aug 7 – Sep 5 | 30 |
| 13 | Pagume (ጳጕሜ) | 13th month | Sep 6 – Sep 10/11 | 5 or 6 |
Ethiopian Calendar Grid (Ge'ez Calendar)
About the Ethiopian Calendar
The Ethiopian calendar (Ye'Ityopya Zemen) is the principal calendar used in Ethiopia and by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. It is based on the ancient Alexandrian (Coptic) calendar and has 13 months: 12 months of 30 days each, plus a short 13th month called Pagume with 5 or 6 days.
The Ethiopian calendar is approximately 7 years and 8 months behind the Gregorian calendar for most of the year. This gap arises from a different calculation of the date of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church versus the Roman Catholic tradition.
Ethiopia also has a unique time system: the day starts at sunrise (approximately 6 AM Gregorian) rather than midnight, so "1 o'clock Ethiopian time" = 7 AM Gregorian. This is separate from the calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
The converter above shows today's Ethiopian (Ge'ez) calendar date. The Ethiopian calendar is approximately 7–8 years behind the Gregorian calendar, and the current Ethiopian year is 2018 (from Sept 2025) or 2019 (from Sept 2026).
-
Most of 2026 (January through September 10) is Ethiopian year 2018. After the Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash, September 11, 2026), it becomes Ethiopian year 2019.
-
Enter the Ethiopian year, month, and day in the converter above. Generally: add 7 years and 8 months to the Ethiopian date to get the approximate Gregorian date (exact conversion varies by month).
-
Pagume (ጳጕሜ) is the 13th month of the Ethiopian calendar. It has 5 days in a common year and 6 days in a leap year. It falls at the end of the Ethiopian year, in early September on the Gregorian calendar.
-
Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash / ዓዲስ ዓመት) falls on September 11, 2026 in the Gregorian calendar (September 12 in a leap year). It marks the start of Ethiopian year 2019.
-
Ethiopia uses the ancient Ge'ez calendar based on the Alexandrian (Coptic) calendar, which calculates the date of Christ's birth differently from the Roman Catholic church's calculation used by the Gregorian calendar. This creates a 7–8 year difference.