Sunday in Arabic: الأحد
Pronounced al-A-had — literally “the first (day)”.
Sunday in Arabic at a Glance
| Arabic | الأحد |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | al-aḥad |
| With yawm | يوم الأحد (yawm al-aḥad) |
| Pronunciation | al-A-had (al·a·ḥad) |
| Literal meaning | the first (day) |
From أحد (aḥad, “one”): Sunday is “the first day” — the Arabic week begins here, not on Monday. The same word appears in the famous Qur'anic phrase “qul huwa Allāhu aḥad” (“Say: He is God, the One”).
How to Pronounce الأحد
al-A-had — syllable by syllable: al·a·ḥad.
- 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 الأحد
How to Say “Happy Sunday” in Arabic
Arabic doesn't traditionally use “Happy Sunday” greetings for most days — the phrase above (“I wish you a happy Sunday”) is understood but formal. The big exception is Friday: جمعة مباركة (jumʿa mubāraka, “blessed Friday”) is exchanged every week by millions.
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: Sunday in Arabic-Speaking Countries
Sunday is the first working day of the week in most Arab countries — what Monday morning is to New York, Sunday morning is to Riyadh or Amman. In Lebanon and Morocco, which keep a Saturday–Sunday weekend, Sunday remains a day off.
Did You Know?
From أحد (aḥad, “one”): Sunday is “the first day” — the Arabic week begins here, not on Monday. The same word appears in the famous Qur'anic phrase “qul huwa Allāhu aḥad” (“Say: He is God, the One”). Curious how English got its name for Sunday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use الأحد in a Sentence
Day names usually follow the word يوم (yawm, “day”): يوم الأحد (yawm al-aḥad) = “(on) Sunday”. 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 Sunday in Arabic?
Sunday in Arabic is الأحد (al-aḥad), pronounced “al-A-had”. It literally means “the first (day)”.
How do you pronounce الأحد?
It's pronounced “al-A-had” — broken into syllables: al·a·ḥad. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is الأحد capitalized in Arabic?
The Arabic script has no capital letters, so الأحد always looks the same. Transliterations vary — you'll see al-aḥad written several ways in Latin letters — but they all spell the same Arabic word.
How do you say “Happy Sunday” in Arabic?
أتمنى لك يوم أحد سعيداً (Atamannā laka yawm aḥad saʿīdan). Arabic doesn't traditionally use “Happy Sunday” greetings for most days — the phrase above (“I wish you a happy Sunday”) is understood but formal. The big exception is Friday: جمعة مباركة (jumʿa mubāraka, “blessed Friday”) is exchanged every week by millions.
What does يوم (yawm) mean before الأحد?
يوم (yawm) simply means “day”. Arabic speakers usually say يوم الأحد (yawm al-aḥad) — “the day of first (day)” — though the day name alone is also fine.
Why does Sunday literally mean “the first (day)” in Arabic?
The Arabic week counts its days starting from Sunday (“the first”). Sunday through Thursday are simply numbered first through fifth, while Friday (“gathering”) and Saturday (“rest”) keep older religious names.
Is al-aḥad 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-aḥad. The form on this page is Modern Standard Arabic, understood across the Arab world.
Sunday in Other Languages
Other Days in Arabic
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