How your age is counted
The year difference is the easy part; the catch is that extra minus-one when this year's birthday is still ahead. Months and days are then counted on their own, because you cannot divide by a fixed "days per month" — they run from 28 to 31.
The counting rules that catch people out
- Birthday not yet passed. Right after New Year it is tempting to add a year, but you only gain it on your birthday, so subtract one until then.
- Leap years. A leap year adds a day to February but does not change how age is counted — a year is still a year. The rule: divisible by 4, except centuries unless divisible by 400.
- Born on 29 February. The date exists only every fourth year, so the birthday is observed on 28 February or 1 March in between.
Zodiac sign by birth date
Your sign is set by the day and month you were born. Boundary dates can move by a day from year to year, so treat these as the standard ranges.
| Sign | Dates | Sign | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aries ♈ | Mar 21 – Apr 19 | Libra ♎ | Sep 23 – Oct 22 |
| Taurus ♉ | Apr 20 – May 20 | Scorpio ♏ | Oct 23 – Nov 21 |
| Gemini ♊ | May 21 – Jun 20 | Sagittarius ♐ | Nov 22 – Dec 21 |
| Cancer ♋ | Jun 21 – Jul 22 | Capricorn ♑ | Dec 22 – Jan 19 |
| Leo ♌ | Jul 23 – Aug 22 | Aquarius ♒ | Jan 20 – Feb 18 |
| Virgo ♍ | Aug 23 – Sep 22 | Pisces ♓ | Feb 19 – Mar 20 |
These are the Western (tropical) signs. The Chinese zodiac works from the birth year on a 12-animal cycle instead.
Common questions
How is my exact age worked out?
Subtract your birth year from the current year, then subtract one more if your birthday has not happened yet this year. Months and days are counted separately on top, because months vary from 28 to 31 days.
What happens if I was born on 29 February?
Your birthday only falls on the calendar in leap years. In common years most people mark it on 28 February or 1 March, and your age still ticks up once a year like everyone else.
What decides my zodiac sign?
The day and month of your birth, not the year. Each sign covers a fixed range of dates; if you were born within a day of a boundary (a "cusp") check the exact ranges, as they can shift by a day between years.
