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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallUse dateparser.parse() for a human-readable date string, then check whether it returned a value: successful parses return a Python datetime, while unsuccessful parses return None. For dependable results, make ambiguous date order, timezone assumptions, relative-date reference time, and missing date components explicit instead of relying on automatic interpretation.
Parse a date string with dateparser
The simplest approach is to import parse and pass it a string. The following example handles the return value before using it:
from dateparser import parse
text = "March 15, 2024 2:30 PM"
value = parse(text)
if value is None:
raise ValueError(f"Could not parse date: {text!r}")
print(value)A successful result is a datetime; a failed parse is None. Do not assume the input was understood merely because the function returned without raising an exception. The library is designed for human-readable absolute and relative dates, timestamps, and localized forms, but its flexibility means an application should validate the result against its own requirements. The official overview advises using valid date strings without unrelated words or numbers and providing known language or locale information when possible (dateparser documentation, version 1.4.3).
Install and import
In an environment where the package is not installed, install it with python -m pip install dateparser. Then choose either import dateparser and call dateparser.parse(...), or import the function directly with from dateparser import parse. The examples below use the direct import.
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Handle failure at the application boundary
Decide what invalid input means for your program: reject the record, ask the user to correct it, or record a validation error. Avoid substituting a default date silently; that can turn malformed input into a plausible but incorrect timestamp.
Make known formats and languages explicit
If you know how a source formats dates, pass a format string through date_formats. If you know the language or locale, supply it with languages or locales. The parser tries supplied formats in turn while taking the language or locale information into account. Explicit inputs reduce the amount the parser must infer; they do not remove the need to check the returned value. See the package API reference.
from dateparser import parse
value = parse(
"15 March 2024",
date_formats=["%d %B %Y"],
languages=["en"],
)
if value is None:
raise ValueError("Input did not match the expected date")Use the format matching the actual input, rather than adding speculative alternatives simply to make a parse succeed. If your application receives inputs from a known source, keep that source’s expected format and language close to the parsing code so the assumptions remain reviewable.
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Control ambiguous numeric date order
A string such as 02-03-2016 can mean February 3 or March 2. The documented default date order is MDY, but locale preferences can take precedence when PREFER_LOCALE_DATE_ORDER is enabled. For example, the settings documentation shows French input being interpreted as DMY despite an explicit MDY setting. To enforce an application policy, set both the desired DATE_ORDER and PREFER_LOCALE_DATE_ORDER to False (settings reference, version 1.4.3).
from dateparser import parse
value = parse(
"02-03-2016",
settings={
"DATE_ORDER": "DMY",
"PREFER_LOCALE_DATE_ORDER": False,
},
)
if value is None:
raise ValueError("Could not parse date")Do not assume that an English-language input identifies its country or date convention. When a numeric date is ambiguous, use a source-specific policy, or reject the input and request an unambiguous representation.
Set timezone behavior deliberately
Timezone configuration answers two different questions: what zone to assign to an input that lacks an explicit zone, and whether to convert the result to another zone. The TIMEZONE setting supplies a zone; TO_TIMEZONE requests conversion; and RETURN_AS_TIMEZONE_AWARE controls awareness in documented cases. Inputs containing an explicit timezone indication or offset should also be handled deliberately. Check the result’s tzinfo and ensure the resulting instant has the meaning your application expects.
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from dateparser import parse
value = parse(
"January 12, 2012 10:00 PM",
settings={
"TIMEZONE": "UTC",
"RETURN_AS_TIMEZONE_AWARE": True,
},
)
if value is None:
raise ValueError("Could not parse date")
if value.tzinfo is None:
raise ValueError("Expected a timezone-aware datetime")This example asks for a UTC-aware result for input without an offset. It is an explicit assumption, not information contained in the original string. If the input identifies a different source timezone, configure and verify that behavior for the actual input rather than treating UTC as universally correct. The documented timezone options and examples are in the settings reference.
Make relative and incomplete dates reproducible
Relative expressions such as “tomorrow” depend on when they are parsed. Set RELATIVE_BASE when repeated or historical interpretation needs a stable reference point. Partial inputs, such as a month and year without a day, also require a policy; PREFER_DAY_OF_MONTH supports current, first, or last. These settings supply assumptions for missing information; they do not recover facts the string never stated.
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from datetime import datetime
from dateparser import parse
reference = datetime(2024, 3, 15, 12, 0)
value = parse(
"tomorrow",
settings={"RELATIVE_BASE": reference},
)
if value is None:
raise ValueError("Could not parse relative date")Choose a reference time appropriate to the data source and document the assumption. For incomplete dates, choose the day policy that makes sense for the application rather than accepting a library preference as if it were present in the input. The relevant settings are described in the settings reference and the dateparser overview.
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Parse repeated strings from one source
For a stream of strings from the same source, consider DateDataParser instead of repeatedly calling the default parse function. An instance caches detected languages and prioritizes those languages on subsequent parses, which can suit source-specific processing. This is a usage choice, not a documented performance guarantee. See Using DateDataParser.
from dateparser import DateDataParser
parser = DateDataParser(languages=["en"])
for text in ["March 15, 2024", "April 2, 2024"]:
result = parser.get_date_data(text)
print(result)Use the normal parse function for a one-off value or simple call site; use a reusable parser when its language-caching behavior is useful for a repeated source. In either case, keep input validation and assumptions visible.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose language detection intentionally
If the language is already known, pass it directly instead of expecting a detector to infer it from a short numeric string. A custom detect_languages_function is available for applications with their own detector. The documentation warns that detection can fail for short strings and recommends combining a detector with DEFAULT_LANGUAGES. It also describes an optional langdetect integration and says fastText support has been removed (custom language detection documentation).
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Language detection is useful when input genuinely varies and language is not known in advance; it is not a substitute for source metadata. For a numeric-only date, language detection cannot tell you which side of the date represents the month. Supply the language and date-order policy from the source where possible.
Common parsing problems and fixes
- The result is
None. The string was not parsed successfully. Check spelling and input content, provide the known format or language, and handle failure rather than assuming a value exists. - A numeric date has the wrong month and day. The string is ambiguous. Set
DATE_ORDER; if locale precedence overrides it, also setPREFER_LOCALE_DATE_ORDERtoFalse. - The result is naive or uses an unexpected zone. Decide what zone an input without an offset represents, configure
TIMEZONEorTO_TIMEZONEas appropriate, and checktzinfoand instant semantics. - “Tomorrow” changes on different runs. Relative parsing depends on the reference time. Supply
RELATIVE_BASEfor repeatable interpretation. - A month-and-year input gets an unexpected day. The day is missing from the source. Set
PREFER_DAY_OF_MONTHto the desired documented policy. - A short string is assigned the wrong language. Detection can fail on short input. Pass the known language or configure an appropriate fallback such as
DEFAULT_LANGUAGES. - Unrelated text produces a plausible date. Flexible parsing can accept unintended content. Constrain input to valid date text and validate the parsed result against application rules.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which dateparser version is shown in the documentation?
The current documentation cited here displays version 1.4.3; check the official documentation for the version applicable to your environment.
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Can dateparser use my application’s own language detector?
Yes. Its API supports a custom detect_languages_function; the custom detection documentation describes the integration and its limitations.
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