Tuesday in Arabic: الثلاثاء
Pronounced ath-thoo-laa-THAA — literally “the third (day)”.
Tuesday in Arabic at a Glance
| Arabic | الثلاثاء |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | ath-thulāthāʾ |
| With yawm | يوم الثلاثاء (yawm ath-thulāthāʾ) |
| Pronunciation | ath-thoo-laa-THAA (ath·thu·lā·thāʾ) |
| Literal meaning | the third (day) |
From ثلاثة (thalātha, “three”): Tuesday is “the third day” of the week that begins on Sunday. Note how the article al- assimilates to the th sound, giving ath-thulāthāʾ.
How to Pronounce الثلاثاء
ath-thoo-laa-THAA — syllable by syllable: ath·thu·lā·thāʾ.
- 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 الثلاثاء
How to Say “Happy Tuesday” in Arabic
Arabic doesn't traditionally use “Happy Tuesday” greetings for most days — the phrase above (“I wish you a happy Tuesday”) 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: Tuesday in Arabic-Speaking Countries
Unlike European languages that gave Tuesday to a war god, Arabic keeps it purely numerical. Pronounce the th as in English “think” — one of the sounds Arabic and English happen to share.
Did You Know?
From ثلاثة (thalātha, “three”): Tuesday is “the third day” of the week that begins on Sunday. Note how the article al- assimilates to the th sound, giving ath-thulāthāʾ. Curious how English got its name for Tuesday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use الثلاثاء in a Sentence
Day names usually follow the word يوم (yawm, “day”): يوم الثلاثاء (yawm ath-thulāthāʾ) = “(on) Tuesday”. 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 Tuesday in Arabic?
Tuesday in Arabic is الثلاثاء (ath-thulāthāʾ), pronounced “ath-thoo-laa-THAA”. It literally means “the third (day)”.
How do you pronounce الثلاثاء?
It's pronounced “ath-thoo-laa-THAA” — broken into syllables: ath·thu·lā·thāʾ. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is الثلاثاء capitalized in Arabic?
The Arabic script has no capital letters, so الثلاثاء always looks the same. Transliterations vary — you'll see ath-thulāthāʾ written several ways in Latin letters — but they all spell the same Arabic word.
How do you say “Happy Tuesday” in Arabic?
أتمنى لك يوم ثلاثاء سعيداً (Atamannā laka yawm thulāthāʾ saʿīdan). Arabic doesn't traditionally use “Happy Tuesday” greetings for most days — the phrase above (“I wish you a happy Tuesday”) 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 الثلاثاء?
يوم (yawm) simply means “day”. Arabic speakers usually say يوم الثلاثاء (yawm ath-thulāthāʾ) — “the day of third (day)” — though the day name alone is also fine.
Why does Tuesday literally mean “the third (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 ath-thulāthāʾ 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 ath-thulāthāʾ. The form on this page is Modern Standard Arabic, understood across the Arab world.
Tuesday in Other Languages
Other Days in Arabic
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