Friday in German: Freitag
Pronounced FRY-tahk — literally “Frija's (Freya's) day”.
Friday in German at a Glance
| German word | Freitag |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | FRY-tahk (Frei·tag) |
| Literal meaning | Frija's (Freya's) day |
| Abbreviation | Fr |
Named for the goddess Frija (Frigg/Freya), the Germanic counterpart of Venus — the same goddess behind English Friday. Despite appearances, it has nothing to do with frei (“free”), though every German worker wishes it did.
How to Pronounce Freitag
FRY-tahk — syllable by syllable: Frei·tag.
- The German -ag ending sounds like “-ahk” — Tag (“day”) rhymes with “dock”, not “tag”.
- German w sounds like English v: Mittwoch is “MIT-vokh”.
- The ch in Mittwoch is the rough back-of-throat sound in Scottish “loch”.
Example Sentences with Freitag
How to Say “Happy Friday” in German
“Schönen Freitag!” (literally “[have a] nice Friday!”) is the everyday German wish — you'll hear “Schönen Montag noch!” from cashiers and colleagues, with noch (“still”) added once the day is underway.
All 7 Days of the Week in German
German days mix Norse gods, the sun, the moon and pure pragmatism: Wednesday is simply “mid-week” (Mittwoch), and northern Germans call Saturday “sun-eve” (Sonnabend). Six of the seven names end in -tag, the German word for “day”. The week starts on Monday.
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Montag | MOHN-tahk |
| Tuesday | Dienstag | DEENS-tahk |
| Wednesday | Mittwoch | MIT-vokh |
| Thursday | Donnerstag | DON-ners-tahk |
| Friday | Freitag | FRY-tahk |
| Saturday | Samstag | ZAHMS-tahk |
| Sunday | Sonntag | ZON-tahk |
See the full guide: Days of the Week in German.
Cultural Notes: Friday in German-Speaking Countries
The false-friend joke writes itself: Freitag sounds like “free day”, and by afternoon most offices live up to it. “Schönes Wochenende!” (have a nice weekend) is the standard Friday goodbye.
Did You Know?
Named for the goddess Frija (Frigg/Freya), the Germanic counterpart of Venus — the same goddess behind English Friday. Despite appearances, it has nothing to do with frei (“free”), though every German worker wishes it did. Curious how English got its name for Friday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use Freitag in a Sentence
Use am for “on”: am Freitag = on Friday (am is short for an dem). For “every Friday” use the adverb freitags or jeden Freitag. All seven days are masculine: der Freitag.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Friday in German?
Friday in German is Freitag, pronounced “FRY-tahk”. It literally means “Frija's (Freya's) day”.
What does Freitag mean in English?
Named for the goddess Frija (Frigg/Freya), the Germanic counterpart of Venus — the same goddess behind English Friday. Despite appearances, it has nothing to do with frei (“free”), though every German worker wishes it did.
How do you pronounce Freitag?
It's pronounced “FRY-tahk” — broken into syllables: Frei·tag.
How do you say “Happy Friday” in German?
Schönen Freitag!. “Schönen Freitag!” (literally “[have a] nice Friday!”) is the everyday German wish — you'll hear “Schönen Montag noch!” from cashiers and colleagues, with noch (“still”) added once the day is underway.
How is Friday abbreviated in German?
Friday (Freitag) is abbreviated Fr on German calendars and schedules.
Is Freitag capitalized in German?
Yes — always. German capitalizes every noun, so it's der Freitag. Only the adverb freitags (“on Fridays”) is written lowercase.
How do you say “on Friday” in German?
am Freitag — short for an dem Freitag. For the habitual “every Friday”, use freitags or jeden Freitag.
How do you say “today is Friday” in German?
Heute ist Freitag.