Intl.RelativeTimeFormat.prototype.format()

The Intl.RelativeTimeFormat.prototype.format() method formats a value and unit according to the locale and formatting options of this RelativeTimeFormat object.

Syntax

relativeTimeFormat.format(value, unit)

Parameters

value
Numeric value to use in the internationalized relative time message.
unit
Unit to use in the relative time internationalized message. Possible values are: "year", "quarter", "month", "week", "day", "hour", "minute", "second". Plural forms are also permitted.

Description

The function returned by the format getter formats a value and a unit into a string according to the locale and formatting options of this Intl.RelativeTimeFormat object.

Examples

Basic format usage

The following example shows how to create a relative time formatter using the English language.

// Create a relative time formatter in your locale
// with default values explicitly passed in.
const rtf = new Intl.RelativeTimeFormat("en", {
    localeMatcher: "best fit", // other values: "lookup"
    numeric: "always", // other values: "auto"
    style: "long", // other values: "short" or "narrow"
});

// Format relative time using negative value (-1).
rtf.format(-1, "day");
// > "1 day ago"

// Format relative time using positive  value (1).
rtf.format(1, "day");
// > "in 1 day"

Using the auto option

If numeric:auto option is passed, it will produce the string yesterday or tomorrow instead of 1 day ago or in 1 day. This allows to not always have to use numeric values in the output.

// Create a relative time formatter in your locale
// with numeric: "auto" option value passed in.
const rtf = new Intl.RelativeTimeFormat("en", { numeric: "auto" });

// Format relative time using negative value (-1).
rtf.format(-1, "day");
// > "yesterday"

// Format relative time using positive day unit (1).
rtf.format(1, "day");
// > "tomorrow"

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
ECMAScript Internationalization API (ECMA-402)
The definition of 'RelativeTimeFormat.format()' in that specification.
Stage 4

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobileServer
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung InternetNode.js
formatChrome Full support 71Edge Full support 79Firefox Full support 65IE No support NoOpera Full support 58Safari No support NoWebView Android Full support 71Chrome Android Full support 71Firefox Android Full support 65Opera Android Full support 50Safari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android Full support 10.0nodejs Full support 12.0.0
Notes
Full support 12.0.0
Notes
Notes Before version 13.0.0, only the locale data for en-US is available by default. See the RelativeTimeFormat() constructor for more details.

Legend

Full support
Full support
No support
No support
See implementation notes.
See implementation notes.

See also