Monday in German: Montag
Pronounced MOHN-tahk — literally “Moon day”.
Monday in German at a Glance
| German word | Montag |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | MOHN-tahk (Mon·tag) |
| Literal meaning | Moon day |
| Abbreviation | Mo |
From Old High German mānetag, “day of the moon” (der Mond) — a direct translation of Latin dies Lunae and an exact cognate of English Monday.
How to Pronounce Montag
MOHN-tahk — syllable by syllable: Mon·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 Montag
How to Say “Happy Monday” in German
“Schönen Montag!” (literally “[have a] nice Monday!”) 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: Monday in German-Speaking Countries
Montag starts the German week — and German calendars, unlike American ones, always begin with it. “Montagsauto” (a “Monday car”) is German slang for a lemon: a product built when nobody was paying attention.
Did You Know?
From Old High German mānetag, “day of the moon” (der Mond) — a direct translation of Latin dies Lunae and an exact cognate of English Monday. Curious how English got its name for Monday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use Montag in a Sentence
Use am for “on”: am Montag = on Monday (am is short for an dem). For “every Monday” use the adverb montags or jeden Montag. All seven days are masculine: der Montag.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Monday in German?
Monday in German is Montag, pronounced “MOHN-tahk”. It literally means “Moon day”.
What does Montag mean in English?
From Old High German mānetag, “day of the moon” (der Mond) — a direct translation of Latin dies Lunae and an exact cognate of English Monday.
How do you pronounce Montag?
It's pronounced “MOHN-tahk” — broken into syllables: Mon·tag.
How do you say “Happy Monday” in German?
Schönen Montag!. “Schönen Montag!” (literally “[have a] nice Monday!”) 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 Monday abbreviated in German?
Monday (Montag) is abbreviated Mo on German calendars and schedules.
Is Montag capitalized in German?
Yes — always. German capitalizes every noun, so it's der Montag. Only the adverb montags (“on Mondays”) is written lowercase.
How do you say “on Monday” in German?
am Montag — short for an dem Montag. For the habitual “every Monday”, use montags or jeden Montag.
How do you say “today is Monday” in German?
Heute ist Montag.