Thursday in German: Donnerstag
Pronounced DON-ners-tahk — literally “Donar's (Thor's) day”.
Thursday in German at a Glance
| German word | Donnerstag |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | DON-ners-tahk (Don·ners·tag) |
| Literal meaning | Donar's (Thor's) day |
| Abbreviation | Do |
Named for Donar, the German form of the thunder god Thor — Donner still means “thunder” in modern German. The exact same god gives English its Thursday.
How to Pronounce Donnerstag
DON-ners-tahk — syllable by syllable: Don·ners·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 Donnerstag
How to Say “Happy Thursday” in German
“Schönen Donnerstag!” (literally “[have a] nice Thursday!”) 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: Thursday in German-Speaking Countries
If you know the Christmas reindeer Donner (and Blitzen — “thunder and lightning”), you already know this day's god. Many German supermarkets and barbers run late hours or specials on Donnerstag, the traditional pre-weekend shopping evening.
Did You Know?
Named for Donar, the German form of the thunder god Thor — Donner still means “thunder” in modern German. The exact same god gives English its Thursday. Curious how English got its name for Thursday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use Donnerstag in a Sentence
Use am for “on”: am Donnerstag = on Thursday (am is short for an dem). For “every Thursday” use the adverb donnerstags or jeden Donnerstag. All seven days are masculine: der Donnerstag.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Thursday in German?
Thursday in German is Donnerstag, pronounced “DON-ners-tahk”. It literally means “Donar's (Thor's) day”.
What does Donnerstag mean in English?
Named for Donar, the German form of the thunder god Thor — Donner still means “thunder” in modern German. The exact same god gives English its Thursday.
How do you pronounce Donnerstag?
It's pronounced “DON-ners-tahk” — broken into syllables: Don·ners·tag.
How do you say “Happy Thursday” in German?
Schönen Donnerstag!. “Schönen Donnerstag!” (literally “[have a] nice Thursday!”) 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 Thursday abbreviated in German?
Thursday (Donnerstag) is abbreviated Do on German calendars and schedules.
Is Donnerstag capitalized in German?
Yes — always. German capitalizes every noun, so it's der Donnerstag. Only the adverb donnerstags (“on Thursdays”) is written lowercase.
How do you say “on Thursday” in German?
am Donnerstag — short for an dem Donnerstag. For the habitual “every Thursday”, use donnerstags or jeden Donnerstag.
How do you say “today is Thursday” in German?
Heute ist Donnerstag.