Friday in French: vendredi
Pronounced vah(n)-druh-DEE — literally “Venus's day”.
Friday in French at a Glance
| French word | vendredi |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | vah(n)-druh-DEE (ven·dre·di) |
| Literal meaning | Venus's day |
| Abbreviation | ven. |
From Latin Veneris dies, “day of Venus”, goddess of love. English Friday honors Frigg/Freya, her Germanic counterpart — the same goddess-day in two traditions.
How to Pronounce vendredi
vah(n)-druh-DEE — syllable by syllable: ven·dre·di.
- The French r is soft and made at the back of the throat — don't roll it.
- Nasal vowels (as in lundi or vendredi) are pronounced through the nose, without sounding the n itself.
- Final syllables get the gentle stress in French — the rhythm is more even than English.
Example Sentences with vendredi
How to Say “Happy Friday” in French
“Bon vendredi !” is the natural French way to wish someone a good Friday — short, common, and used in person, in texts and in emails. (French adds a space before the exclamation mark.)
All 7 Days of the Week in French
Five French days still carry the names of Roman planetary gods — Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus — each ending in -di, from Latin dies (“day”). Saturday and Sunday flip the order (samedi, dimanche) and come from the Sabbath and “the Lord's day”. The French week starts on Monday.
| English | French | Pronunciation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | lundi | luhn-DEE (nasal “un”) | |
| Tuesday | mardi | mar-DEE | |
| Wednesday | mercredi | mehr-kruh-DEE | |
| Thursday | jeudi | zhuh-DEE | |
| Friday | vendredi | vah(n)-druh-DEE | |
| Saturday | samedi | sahm-DEE | |
| Sunday | dimanche | dee-MAHNSH |
See the full guide: Days of the Week in French.
Cultural Notes: Friday in French-Speaking Countries
Vendredi closes the French work week, and “Bon week-end !” starts echoing through offices by mid-afternoon. Fish on Friday (le poisson du vendredi) is still a fixture on many school canteen menus.
Did You Know?
From Latin Veneris dies, “day of Venus”, goddess of love. English Friday honors Frigg/Freya, her Germanic counterpart — the same goddess-day in two traditions. Curious how English got its name for Friday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use vendredi in a Sentence
French uses no preposition for a specific day: Je travaille vendredi = I work on Friday. Adding le makes it habitual: le vendredi = every Friday. All seven days are masculine nouns.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Friday in French?
Friday in French is vendredi, pronounced “vah(n)-druh-DEE”. It literally means “Venus's day”.
What does vendredi mean in English?
From Latin Veneris dies, “day of Venus”, goddess of love. English Friday honors Frigg/Freya, her Germanic counterpart — the same goddess-day in two traditions.
How do you pronounce vendredi?
It's pronounced “vah(n)-druh-DEE” — broken into syllables: ven·dre·di. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
How do you say “Happy Friday” in French?
Bon vendredi !. “Bon vendredi !” is the natural French way to wish someone a good Friday — short, common, and used in person, in texts and in emails. (French adds a space before the exclamation mark.)
How is Friday abbreviated in French?
Friday (vendredi) is abbreviated ven. on French calendars and schedules.
Is vendredi capitalized in French?
No — French weekday names are lowercase: vendredi, never Vendredi (except at the start of a sentence).
How do you say “on Friday” in French?
For one specific Friday, use no preposition at all: Je travaille vendredi = I work (on) Friday. With the article — le vendredi — it means “every Friday”.
How do you say “today is Friday” in French?
Aujourd'hui, c'est vendredi — or more formally, Nous sommes vendredi (literally “we are Friday”).