Monday in Portuguese: segunda-feira
Pronounced seh-GOON-dah FAY-rah — literally “second (market) day”.
Monday in Portuguese at a Glance
| Portuguese word | segunda-feira |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | seh-GOON-dah FAY-rah (se·gun·da-fei·ra) |
| Literal meaning | second (market) day |
| Abbreviation | seg. / 2ª |
Literally “second feira”, from Latin feria (“rest day, market day”). The count starts with Sunday as the first day, so Monday is number two. Bishop Martin of Braga pushed these Christian numbered names in the 6th century to replace the pagan “Moon's day”.
How to Pronounce segunda-feira
seh-GOON-dah FAY-rah — syllable by syllable: se·gun·da-fei·ra.
- In Brazilian Portuguese, final unstressed o sounds like “oo” (sábado ≈ “SAH-bah-doo”).
- The -eira ending sounds like “AY-rah”.
- European Portuguese swallows unstressed vowels more than Brazilian — both pronunciations are shown where they differ.
Example Sentences with segunda-feira
How to Say “Happy Monday” in Portuguese
“Boa segunda-feira!” is a standard friendly wish in Brazil and Portugal — on Fridays Brazilians are more likely to simply post “Sextou!”.
All 7 Days of the Week in Portuguese
Portuguese is the only major European language that numbers its weekdays: Monday through Friday are literally the “second” through “sixth” days (segunda- to sexta-feira). The naming goes back to the 6th-century bishop Martin of Braga, who refused to keep the pagan god names — and won, but only in Portuguese.
| English | Portuguese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | segunda-feira | seh-GOON-dah FAY-rah |
| Tuesday | terça-feira | TEHR-sah FAY-rah |
| Wednesday | quarta-feira | KWAR-tah FAY-rah |
| Thursday | quinta-feira | KEEN-tah FAY-rah |
| Friday | sexta-feira | SES-tah FAY-rah (BR) / SAYSH-tah (PT) |
| Saturday | sábado | SAH-bah-doo |
| Sunday | domingo | doh-MEEN-goo |
See the full guide: Days of the Week in Portuguese.
Cultural Notes: Monday in Portuguese-Speaking Countries
In daily speech everyone just says segunda: “Te vejo na segunda” (see you Monday). The week's numbered days make Portuguese instantly recognizable among Romance languages — Spanish lunes and Italian lunedì kept the Moon instead.
Did You Know?
Literally “second feira”, from Latin feria (“rest day, market day”). The count starts with Sunday as the first day, so Monday is number two. Bishop Martin of Braga pushed these Christian numbered names in the 6th century to replace the pagan “Moon's day”. Curious how English got its name for Monday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use segunda-feira in a Sentence
Use na/no for “on”: na segunda-feira = on Monday. For “every Monday” use às segundas-feiras. In everyday speech the “-feira” is usually dropped: “segunda” is completely natural.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Monday in Portuguese?
Monday in Portuguese is segunda-feira, pronounced “seh-GOON-dah FAY-rah”. It literally means “second (market) day”.
What does segunda-feira mean in English?
Literally “second feira”, from Latin feria (“rest day, market day”). The count starts with Sunday as the first day, so Monday is number two. Bishop Martin of Braga pushed these Christian numbered names in the 6th century to replace the pagan “Moon's day”.
How do you pronounce segunda-feira?
It's pronounced “seh-GOON-dah FAY-rah” — broken into syllables: se·gun·da-fei·ra.
Is segunda-feira capitalized in Portuguese?
Portuguese weekday names are lowercase: segunda-feira, not Segunda-feira (except at the start of a sentence). In informal writing you'll often see the numeric shorthand instead — seg. / 2ª.
How do you say “Happy Monday” in Portuguese?
Boa segunda-feira!. “Boa segunda-feira!” is a standard friendly wish in Brazil and Portugal — on Fridays Brazilians are more likely to simply post “Sextou!”.
How is Monday abbreviated in Portuguese?
Monday (segunda-feira) is abbreviated seg. / 2ª on Portuguese calendars and schedules.
Why is Monday called “second” in Portuguese?
Portuguese counts its days from Sunday (day one), following the 6th-century reform of Martin of Braga, who replaced the pagan planetary names with church Latin numbers. That's why Monday is segunda (2nd) and Friday is sexta (6th).
Can I just say “segunda”?
Yes — dropping “-feira” is completely normal in speech and informal writing: “Te vejo na segunda” (see you on Monday). The numeric shorthand 2ª is also common in schedules.
How do you say “today is Monday” in Portuguese?
Hoje é segunda-feira.