Introducing the English days of the week
| Weekdays | Abbreviation | Phonetics |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Mon. | MUHN-day |
| Tuesday | Tues. | TYOOZ-day |
| Wednesday | Wed. | WENDZ-day |
| Thursday | Thurs. | THURZ-day |
| Friday | Fri. | FRY-day |
| Weekend | Abbreviation | Phonetic |
| Saturday | Sat. | SAT-uhr-day |
| Sunday | Sun. | SUHN-day |
| Related day words | Meaning | |
| Today | This present day | |
| Yesterday | The day before today | |
| Tomorrow | The day after today |
Your most pressing days of the week questions, answered
How did we get seven days of the week?
English-speaking countries follow a seven-day week, originating from Jewish and Babylonian calendars.
When people say “the days of the week,” they mean all the different days, Monday to Sunday, that make up a week – the seven days of the week.
But wait! What are weekdays?
It’s easy to get confused between days of the week and weekdays.
In English, weeks are broken into two parts. Weekdays are the five days that people traditionally go to work at offices, meaning the days from Monday to Friday. You’ll also hear people refer to this time period as the “work week” or “school week” and say things happen “during the week,” meaning within this range.
The weekend – Saturday and Sunday – are days for rest and recreation.
Is Sunday the first day of the week?
Historically, Sunday is the first day of the week in English. However, many also accept Monday as the first day as it marks the start of the work week.
This can also vary by country. For example, the UK and US begin the week on Monday while Israel begins on Sunday.
You’ll often see English calendars that start the week with Sunday, but English speakers will generally start with Monday when looking at or talking about a week.
What is the best way to remember the days of the week?
The best way to remember the days of the week in English is to associate them with what they're named after. Name origins from English days of the week come from Roman, Norse, and Anglo-Saxon mythology.
Sunday
Origin: Sunday is named after the sun.
Did you know? Sunday is Christianity’s holy day of rest and worship, established as the first day of the week by Roman Emperor Constantine I in 321 A.D. Even today, some restaurants and businesses close on Sundays.
Monday
Origin: Monday is named after the moon just like in other Romance languages (lundi, lunes).The similar sounds of “Mon-” and “moon” make it easy to remember.
Did you know? You might have heard the English expression, “a case of the Mondays.” This comes from the 1999 movie “Office Space” and refers to a bad mood brought on by the start of the work week. It’s not how you want to start your week!
Tuesday
Origin: Tuesday is named after Tiu, the Anglo-Saxon name of Tyr, Norse god of war. Tyr is one of the sons of Odin and is also known as Mars in Roman mythology.
Did you know? Tuesday has a wide variation of pronunciation depending on the area where you live. Some dialects pronounce this “TOOS-day” while others pronounce it “TYOOZ-dee”.
Wednesday
Origin: Wednesday is named after Odin, also known as Woden or Wotan. Odin is known for ruling with a spear and is famous for giving one of his eyes in exchange for wisdom.
Did you know? Wednesday is nicknamed “hump day” because it’s the middle of the work week and can be difficult to get over, like the top of a hill. You’re at the summit, it’s all downhill from here!
Thursday
Origin: The name Thursday comes from Thor’s Day. Thor, God of Thunder, is also a son of Odin and known for using a powerful hammer in battle.
Did you know? “Throwback Thursday” is a social media trend of people posting old photos of themselves on Thursdays. You’ll also sometimes see bars and restaurants offer weekly drink specials on Thursdays, called “Thirsty Thursdays.” Getting closer to the weekend!
Friday
Origin: Friday is named after Frigg, the wife of Odin. Frigg represents beauty, love, and the earth in Norse mythology and is also known as Venus.
Did you know? Friday the 13th, that is, a Friday that falls on the 13th day of the month, is considered unlucky. You’ve already had a long week already, let’s hope you don’t have any bad luck today!
Saturday
Origin: Saturday is named after Saturn, the Roman god and planet with rings.
Did you know? Saturday is often considered the seventh day of the week, originating from Judaism’s Sabbath, as the final day and day of rest in the week. Think of it like this: you made it through the week, so Saturday is for treating yourself!
