This page isn't translated yet, so its text is in English. Function names and formulas are shown in your Excel language.
Excel function · Dates
DAYS
Returns the number of days between two dates.
What it does
DAYS counts the days from a start date to an end date. It gives the same result as subtracting the dates, but makes the order of the arguments clear: the end date comes first.
Syntax
=DAYS(end_date; start_date)Arguments in square brackets are optional, and … means you can add more of the same. In this Excel language, arguments are separated by ;
Arguments
- end_date
- The later date.
- start_date
- The earlier date.
Example
A project runs from 2 March to 15 April 2026. How many days is that?
| A | B | C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | End | Days |
| 2 | 2026-03-02 | 2026-04-15 | 44 |
The formula in C2:
=DAYS(B2;A2)Result: 44
From 2 March to 31 March is 29 days, plus 15 days in April: 44.
Common mistakes
- Putting the start date first, which gives a negative number. The end date comes first.
- Expecting both ends to count. From Monday to Tuesday is 1 day; add 1 if you count both days.
In other Excel languages
Excel translates function names, and in some languages the argument separator too. Type the name your Excel shows.
| Excel language | Function name | Separator |
|---|---|---|
| English | DAYS | , |
| Deutsch | TAGE | ; |
| Français | JOURS | ; |
| Español (España) | Not confirmed yet | ; |
| Español (México) | Not confirmed yet | , |
| 日本語 | DAYS | , |
| 한국어 | DAYS | , |
| 繁體中文 | DAYS | , |
| ไทย | DAYS | , |
| ខ្មែរ | DAYS | , |
| Tiếng Việt | DAYS | ; |