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Ethiopian Calendar Converter

Convert dates both ways in a couple of clicks — from the Gregorian calendar to the Ethiopian (Ge’ez) calendar, and from Ethiopian back to Gregorian.

GC to EC  ·  EC to GC

From Ethiopian Calendar to Gregorian

Enter a date in the Ethiopian calendar

Gregorian Date

Saturday
August 1, 2026

01 — 08 — 2026

From Gregorian Calendar to Ethiopian

Enter a date in the Gregorian calendar

Ethiopian Date

ቅዳሜ
ሐምሌ 25 , 2018 ዓ.ም

25 — 11 — 2018

💡 Understanding the Ethiopian Calendar

About the Ethiopian Calendar

The Ethiopian calendar — also called the Ge’ez calendar — is the principal calendar of Ethiopia. It is a solar calendar with 13 months that runs roughly seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar used across most of the world. That offset is why converting dates between the two is so often needed — for birthdays and ages, official documents, public holidays, and travel.

Why 7–8 years behind?

The two calendars disagree on the calculated date of the Annunciation of Jesus. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church uses an earlier reckoning than the one adopted in Europe, which leaves the Ethiopian year count seven to eight years lower. Ethiopia is 8 years behind from 1 January until New Year, and 7 years behind afterwards.

13 months of the year

The year has twelve months of exactly 30 days, then a short thirteenth month, Pagumē (ጳጉሜ), of 5 days — 6 in a leap year. So a common year is 12 × 30 + 5 = 365 days, and a leap year is 366. Every date maps cleanly between the calendars in this converter.

The leap-year cycle

An Ethiopian year is a leap year when its number leaves a remainder of 3 when divided by 4 — for example 2015 and 2019. In those years Pagumē gains a sixth day. This keeps the calendar in step with the Julian rhythm, one year ahead of the Gregorian leap year.

When the year begins

The Ethiopian year starts on Meskerem 1 — Enkutatash — which falls on 11 September in the Gregorian calendar, or 12 September in the year before a Gregorian leap year. You can browse any month on the Ethiopian calendar.

Worked examples

Gregorian dateEthiopian date
11 September 2025Meskerem 1, 2018
1 January 2026Tahsas 23, 2018
12 July 2026Hamle 5, 2018

Explore more Ethiopian date & time tools: view the full Ethiopian calendar, check upcoming Ethiopian public holidays, or type Amharic with the Amharic keyboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert a Gregorian date to the Ethiopian calendar?
Use the first converter above (“From Gregorian Calendar to Ethiopian”). Enter the day, month and year of your Gregorian date and the matching Ethiopian date — including the Ethiopian month name and the weekday — appears instantly. For example, 1 January 2026 converts to Tahsas 23, 2018.
How do I convert an Ethiopian date to the Gregorian calendar?
Use the second converter above (“From Ethiopian Calendar to Gregorian”). Enter the Ethiopian day, month and year and the equivalent Gregorian date is shown right away. For example, Meskerem 1, 2018 — Ethiopian New Year — converts to 11 September 2025.
How many years is the Ethiopian calendar behind?
About 7 to 8 years. Because the Ethiopian year begins in September, Ethiopia is 8 years behind from 1 January until Ethiopian New Year (around 11 September), then 7 years behind for the rest of the Gregorian year. The gap comes from a different calculation of the date of the Annunciation of Jesus.
How many months are in the Ethiopian calendar?
Thirteen. There are twelve months of exactly 30 days, followed by a short thirteenth month called Pagumē (ጳጉሜ) with 5 days — or 6 days in a leap year. That adds up to 365 days in a common year and 366 in a leap year.
How accurate is this Ethiopian calendar converter?
Every conversion is computed through the Julian Day Number, the same method astronomers use, so it stays correct across leap years and the 13th month in both directions. It correctly handles Ethiopian leap years (every year whose number leaves a remainder of 3 when divided by 4) and the variable length of Pagumē.
Can I use this tool on my mobile device?
Yes. The converter is fully optimised for phones and tablets as well as desktops, so you can convert dates on the go, anytime and anywhere.