About the NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE Parameter

Specifies: Language for names and abbreviations of days and months that are produced by:

SQL functions TO_CHAR and TO_DATE (which are introduced in "Using Conversion Functions in Queries")
Default date format (set by NLS_DATE_FORMAT, described in "About the NLS_DATE_FORMAT Parameter")
Symbols for default-language equivalents of AM, PM, AD, and BC

Acceptable Values: Any language name that Oracle supports. For a list, see Oracle Database Globalization Support Guide.

Default Value: Set by NLS_LANGUAGE, described in "About the NLS_LANGUAGE Parameter".

The following example shows how setting NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE to FRENCH and SWEDISH affects the displayed system date.

To try this example in SQL Developer, enter the statements and queries in the SQL Worksheet. For information about the SQL Worksheet, see "Running Queries in SQL Developer". The results shown here are from SQL*Plus; their format is slightly different in SQL Developer.

NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE Affects Displayed SYSDATE

Note the current value of NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE.

For instructions, see "Viewing NLS Parameter Values".
If the value of NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE in step 1 is not FRENCH, change it:
```
ALTER SESSION SET NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE=FRENCH;
```

Run this query:

SELECT TO_CHAR(SYSDATE, 'Day:Dd Month yyyy') "System Date"
FROM DUAL;

Result:

System Date
--------------------------
Mercredi:01 Octobre   2008

Change the value of NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE to SWEDISH:

ALTER SESSION SET NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE=SWEDISH;

Repeat the query from step 3.

Result:

System Date
-------------------------
Onsdag :01 Oktober   2008

Set NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE to the value that it had at step 1.

About the NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE Parameter

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