Ultimate guide to the 7 days of the week in German: memorize the days with a trick!

Learning the days of the week in a new language, like German, can be both fun and – of course – a little bit tricky. It’s important to know the days of the week in German so that you can talk to people every day. Look at how Denisa from Spring German (a project I’m a co-founder of) describes it:

In this ultimate guide, we will explore the German days of the week. We will learn about their names, how to say them, and when to use them. We will also share five helpful tips to make it easier for you to remember them!

So, get ready to have some fun while learning the days of the week in German!

1. What are the days of the week in German?

The days of the week in German are really important for general talking, making plans, and organizing things. And Germans like one thing for sure: planning and organizing everything to the last little bit.

The German days of the week are almost always capitalized, so when you write “Montag” in a sentence, you start the noun with a capital letter – just like any other German noun.

BUT! There is one exception!

If you do something as a habit (go jogging every Saturday), like a good habit I love to call a Tiny Trust Builder, the day of the week in German starts with a small letter.

• Ich jogge samstags in der Stadt. (I go jogging every Saturday in the city.)

2. Gender of the days of the week in German

The days of the week in German are all masculine. They take the definite article “der” (the in English) – for example, der Montag (Monday), der Dienstag (Tuesday), and so on…

The only exception comes when we are talking about das Wochenende (the weekend), which is a neuter noun.

When used in a sentence, however, you might often see the days of the week in German without an article!

This is common in German, especially when referring to recurring events, like:

Sure, here are some sentences with the days of the week in German, where they are used without an article:

• Montag beginne ich meinen neuen Job. (I start my new job on Monday.)
• Wir haben am Dienstag eine wichtige Besprechung. (We have an important meeting on Tuesday.)
• Am Mittwoch treffe ich mich mit Freunden zum Abendessen. (On Wednesday, I meet friends for dinner.)
• Freitags fahre ich immer nach Hause. (I always go home on Friday.)

Montag (Monday)

Monday in German is called “Montag” which literally means “Moon-day”.

It comes from an old Germanic god named “Monat” who is like the German version of the Norse god “Máni” who is the moon god.

• Montag ist der Tag, an dem meine Arbeitswoche beginnt. (Monday is the day my workweek starts.)
• Am Montagmorgen trinke ich gerne eine Tasse Kaffee, um wach zu werden. (On Monday morning, I like to have a cup of coffee to wake up.)
• Montags habe ich immer eine Besprechung mit meinem Team. (On Mondays, I always have a meeting with my team.)

Abbreviations are common in calendars or schedules.

The standard abbreviation for: “Montag” is “Mo.“

Dienstag (Tuesday)

“Dienstag” means Tuesday.

It got its name from a Norse god named “Týr” who was connected to war and shown as having only one hand.

• Dienstag ist der Tag, an dem ich meine Deutschklasse besuche. (Tuesday is the day I attend my German class.)
• Dienstags nehme ich mir Zeit, um in einem Buch zu lesen. (On Tuesdays, I take time to read a book.)
• Am Dienstagabend koche ich gerne ein besonderes Abendessen. (On Tuesday evening, I like to cook a special dinner.)

The standard abbreviation for: “Dienstag” is “Di.“

Mittwoch (Wednesday)

“Mittwoch” means Wednesday in German.

It comes from an old German word “mittwoche,” which means the middle of the week.

• Am Mittwochabend gehe ich normalerweise ins Fitnessstudio. (On Wednesday evening, I usually go to the gym.)
• Am Mittwochnachmittag treffe ich mich mit einem Schreibkreis. (On Wednesday afternoon, I meet with a writing group.)
• Mittwochs versuche ich, etwas Neues zu lernen, um meine Fähigkeiten zu erweitern. (On Wednesdays, I try to learn something new to expand my skills.)

The standard abbreviation for: “Mittwoch” is “Mi.“

Donnerstag (Thursday)

The word “Donnerstag” means Thursday in German.

It comes from the name of a Norse god called “Donar” who is connected to thunder and lightning.!

So, when people in Germany say “Donnerstag,” they are remembering this ancient god and his special powers.

• Donnerstag ist oft mein geschäftigster Arbeitstag. (Thursday is often my busiest workday.)
• Donnerstags ist auch der Tag, an dem ich mich intensiver auf meine Schreibprojekte konzentriere. (Thursdays are also the days when I focus more intensively on my writing projects.)
• Donnerstagabend ist reserviert für einen Filmabend mit meiner Frau. (Thursday evening is reserved for a movie night with my wife.)

The standard abbreviation for: “Donnerstag” is “Do.“

Freitag (Friday)

“Freitag” means Friday.

It is named after a goddess named “Frigg” who was very important in old stories.

• Freitagmorgen beginne ich meinen Tag mit einer Meditation. (On Friday morning, I start my day with meditation.)
• Am Freitag plane ich, nach der Arbeit mit Freunden auszugehen. (On Friday, I plan to go out with friends after work.)
• Freitag ist der perfekte Tag, um meine Woche zu reflektieren und meine Ziele zu überprüfen. (Friday is the perfect day to reflect on my week and review my goals.)

The standard abbreviation for: “Freitag” is “Fr.“

Samstag (Saturday)

Saturday is called “Samstag“.

The term originates from the Hebrew term “Sabbath,” which means rest.

Sabbath was the day of rest and worship, an observance that has carried over into many cultures.

• Samstag ist der beste Tag für Outdoor-Aktivitäten wie Wandern. (Saturday is the best day for outdoor activities like hiking.)
• Samstagabend ist die Zeit, in der ich mich mit meinem Lieblingsbuch entspanne. (Saturday evening is the time when I relax with my favorite book.)
• Am Samstagvormittag unternehme ich gerne lange Spaziergänge mit unseren Hunden. (On Saturday morning, I enjoy taking long walks with our dogs.)

The standard abbreviation for: “Samstag” is “Sa.“

Sonntag (Sunday)

Finally, we have “Sonntag,” which is the German word for Sunday.

Sonntag hails from the Old High German “sunun tag,” which directly translates to “Sun’s day.

This nomenclature is said to be in honor of the Sun, recognized in many ancient cultures as a deity.

• Am Sonntag genieße ich es, Zeit mit meiner Familie zu verbringen. (On Sunday, I enjoy spending time with my family.)
• Am Sonntagmorgen genieße ich eine ruhige Tasse Kaffee, während ich die Nachrichten lese. (On Sunday morning, I enjoy a quiet cup of coffee while reading the news.)
• Sonntagnachmittag ist Familienzeit, und wir unternehmen oft Ausflüge oder Spiele. (Sunday afternoon is family time, and we often go on outings or play games.)

The standard abbreviation for: “Sonntag” is “So.“

3. Learn how to use the German days when talking about weekdays

The typical working week in German-speaking countries runs from Montag (Monday) to Freitag (Friday).

The standard workday is usually starting from 8 am and is finished by 4 or 5 pm, depending on the workplace and if people take a midday break (die Mittagspause).

Samstag (Saturday) is considered a part of the weekend and it’s often times dedicated to leisure activities – Germans love hiking or spending some quality time with the family!

Now, there is one really special thing about the days of the week in German, because Sonntag (Sunday) is a non-working day. This means, that you should definitely think ahead in terms of shopping because you won’t find any supermarkets open on Sunday.

Sonntag (Sunday) holds a special significance: it’s a day of rest and relaxation. People often spend this day in quiet contemplation, just reading or enjoying other recreational activities.

It has also been viewed as a ‘quiet day’ with laws (!) prohibiting loud activities like mowing the lawn or having major public events. This cultural respect for quiet Sundays is a testament to the balance between work and rest that is inherent in German society.

4. Remember the German days with useful vocabulary

Here are some common German phrases and vocabulary related to the days of the week that could come in handy any time!

Here are some examples illustrating the use of these German words:

1. “Ich werde übermorgen ein neues Buch kaufen.” (I will buy a new book the day after tomorrow.)
2. “Ich habe gestern einen interessanten Film gesehen.” (I saw an interesting movie yesterday.)
3. “Wir fahren jedes Wochenende zum Wandern.” (We go hiking every weekend.)
4. “Montag ist mein am wenigsten liebster Wochentag.” (Monday is my least favorite weekday.)
5. “Ich habe einen achtstündigen Arbeitstag.” (I have an eight-hour working day.)

5. Learn the days with our comprehensive practice worksheets

I. Fill in the blanks with the correct German day of the week.

This is just one of the exercises in German. You can request the full practice worksheets by clicking this big green button below 😉

6. Conversation Based Chunking will help you learn German days of the week

To enhance your learning of the German days of the week, you can utilize a language-learning technique known as Conversation Based Chunking.

This method involves practicing and memorizing conversational phrases that include the German days of the week.

By using the days of the week in context within conversational chunks, you can improve your pronunciation, fluency, and overall comprehension of the German language.

This approach not only makes learning enjoyable but also reinforces your ability to use the German days of the week effectively in real-life conversations. Click the button below to learn more about this method and gain access to a lot more!