Days of the Week in English
Learn the seven days of the week in English, listen to their pronunciation, discover where their names come from, and practise with examples and a short quiz.
The seven days and their pronunciation
| English clue | Day | Name origin | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| The day after Sunday | Monday | Day of the Moon | |
| The day after Monday | Tuesday | Day of Tiw | |
| The middle day of the working week | Wednesday | Day of Woden | |
| The day before Friday | Thursday | Day of Thor | |
| The last usual working day | Friday | Day associated with Frigg | |
| The first day of the weekend | Saturday | Day of Saturn | |
| The day before Monday | Sunday | Day of the Sun |
How to use the days of the week
In English, the names of the days always begin with a capital letter: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
On + a day
I have English lessons on Monday.
See you on Friday!
We usually visit our friends on Saturday evening.
Every + a day
I go swimming every Tuesday.
We meet on Sundays.
She studies English every Wednesday.
Do not use on before every Monday, next Friday or last Tuesday. Use on with a specific day, as in on Monday morning.
Useful time expressions
- today – the present day
- tomorrow – the day after today
- yesterday – the day before today
- weekday – usually Monday to Friday
- weekend – usually Saturday and Sunday
- next Monday – the coming Monday
- last Friday – the previous Friday
Pronunciation tips
Wednesday is usually pronounced with two syllables (WENZ-day); the written d is not pronounced separately. In Thursday, the initial th is the /θ/ sound, made with the tongue close to or lightly between the teeth. Select a blue speaker button to hear each day.
Common abbreviations
Calendars often shorten the days to Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat and Sun. In many countries, calendars start on Monday, but some start on Sunday.
Where do the English weekday names come from?
Several English day names preserve references to Germanic gods. Tuesday is named after Tiw (Týr), Wednesday after Woden (Odin), and Thursday after Thor. Friday is commonly linked to Frigg, although Freyja is also mentioned in popular explanations.
Monday and Sunday refer to the Moon and the Sun. Saturday takes its name from the Roman god Saturn. These are simplified historical explanations, not literal modern translations.
A poem about the days of the week
Test yourself: days of the week
Read each English clue and type the correct day. There are seven questions.