---
title: "description(with:)"
framework: foundation
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "foundation/date/description(with:)"
---

# description(with:)

Returns a string representation of the receiver using the given locale.

## Declaration

```swift
func description(with locale: Locale?) -> String
```

## Parameters

- `locale`: A Locale. If you pass nil, Date formats the date in the same way as the description property.

## Return Value

Return Value A string representation of the Date, using the given locale, or if the locale argument is nil, in the international format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS ±HHMM, where ±HHMM represents the time zone offset in hours and minutes from UTC (for example, “2001-03-24 10:45:32 +0600”).

## See Also

### Describing Dates

- [description](foundation/date/description.md)
- [customPlaygroundQuickLook](foundation/date/customplaygroundquicklook.md)