Friday in Arabic: الجمعة
Pronounced al-JUM-ah — literally “the (day of) gathering”.
Friday in Arabic at a Glance
| Arabic | الجمعة |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | al-jumʿa |
| With yawm | يوم الجمعة (yawm al-jumʿa) |
| Pronunciation | al-JUM-ah (al·jum·ʿa) |
| Literal meaning | the (day of) gathering |
From the root ج-م-ع (j-m-ʿ, “to gather”): الجمعة is “the day of gathering”, named for the congregational Friday prayer (صلاة الجمعة, ṣalāt al-jumʿa) commanded in the Qur'an (Sura 62).
How to Pronounce الجمعة
al-JUM-ah — syllable by syllable: al·jum·ʿa.
- The ʿ symbol marks the letter ʿayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent — listen to the audio and imitate.
- Long vowels (ā, ī, ū) are held about twice as long as short ones.
- The definite article al- often assimilates: السبت is “as-sabt”, not “al-sabt”.
Example Sentences with الجمعة
How to Say “Happy Friday” in Arabic
جمعة مباركة (jumʿa mubāraka, “blessed Friday”) is the one weekday greeting the whole Arab world actually uses — exchanged every Friday in person, in mosques and across social media. The reply is the same phrase, or جمعة طيبة (jumʿa ṭayyiba, “good Friday”).
All 7 Days of the Week in Arabic
Arabic numbers most of its week: Sunday through Thursday are literally “the first” through “the fifth” day. Only Friday (“the day of gathering”) and Saturday (“the day of rest”, cognate with Sabbath) break the pattern — and both carry deep religious history.
| English | Arabic | Transliteration | Pronunciation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | الاثنين | al-ithnayn | al-ith-NAYN | |
| Tuesday | الثلاثاء | ath-thulāthāʾ | ath-thoo-laa-THAA | |
| Wednesday | الأربعاء | al-arbiʿāʾ | al-ar-bi-AAH | |
| Thursday | الخميس | al-khamīs | al-kha-MEES | |
| Friday | الجمعة | al-jumʿa | al-JUM-ah | |
| Saturday | السبت | as-sabt | as-SABT | |
| Sunday | الأحد | al-aḥad | al-A-had |
See the full guide: Days of the Week in Arabic.
Cultural Notes: Friday in Arabic-Speaking Countries
Friday is the holiest day of the Muslim week: shops pause around midday prayer, families gather for lunch, and the greeting جمعة مباركة (jumʿa mubāraka, “blessed Friday”) fills social media. It anchors the Friday–Saturday weekend across most Arab countries.
Did You Know?
From the root ج-م-ع (j-m-ʿ, “to gather”): الجمعة is “the day of gathering”, named for the congregational Friday prayer (صلاة الجمعة, ṣalāt al-jumʿa) commanded in the Qur'an (Sura 62). Curious how English got its name for Friday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use الجمعة in a Sentence
Day names usually follow the word يوم (yawm, “day”): يوم الجمعة (yawm al-jumʿa) = “(on) Friday”. Arabic needs no extra preposition for “on”. The الـ (al-) at the start is the definite article “the”.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Friday in Arabic?
Friday in Arabic is الجمعة (al-jumʿa), pronounced “al-JUM-ah”. It literally means “the (day of) gathering”.
How do you pronounce الجمعة?
It's pronounced “al-JUM-ah” — broken into syllables: al·jum·ʿa. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is الجمعة capitalized in Arabic?
The Arabic script has no capital letters, so الجمعة always looks the same. Transliterations vary — you'll see al-jumʿa written several ways in Latin letters — but they all spell the same Arabic word.
How do you say “Happy Friday” in Arabic?
جمعة مباركة (Jumʿa mubāraka). جمعة مباركة (jumʿa mubāraka, “blessed Friday”) is the one weekday greeting the whole Arab world actually uses — exchanged every Friday in person, in mosques and across social media. The reply is the same phrase, or جمعة طيبة (jumʿa ṭayyiba, “good Friday”).
What does يوم (yawm) mean before الجمعة?
يوم (yawm) simply means “day”. Arabic speakers usually say يوم الجمعة (yawm al-jumʿa) — “the day of (day of) gathering” — though the day name alone is also fine.
Why does Friday literally mean “the (day of) gathering” in Arabic?
The Arabic week counts its days starting from Sunday (“the first”). Friday and Saturday are the two exceptions, named for the congregational prayer and the ancient Sabbath rest day respectively.
Is al-jumʿa pronounced the same in all Arabic dialects?
The word is recognized everywhere, but dialects shave it down — in Egyptian Arabic, for example, you'll hear a more clipped version of al-jumʿa. The form on this page is Modern Standard Arabic, understood across the Arab world.
Friday in Other Languages
Other Days in Arabic
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