Days of the Week in German

The days of the week in German (die Wochentage) reflect a fascinating blend of Germanic mythology, astronomical influences, and Christian traditions. Like English, German weekday names maintain strong connections to Norse gods, though with some interesting differences.

One unique feature of German days is that they are all capitalized. This isn't because they're considered any more special than in other languages, but because German capitalizes all nouns regardless of type. This grammatical rule applies to days of the week, months, and all other nouns in the German language.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about the German days of the week, from pronunciation and etymology to cultural context and practical usage.

In German, days of the week are always capitalized, unlike in many other languages where they're written in lowercase. This capitalization rule applies to all nouns in German, not just days of the week.

Examples of Correct Capitalization

• Correct: "Ich habe am Montag einen Termin." (I have an appointment on Monday.)
• Correct: "Montag ist der erste Tag der Woche." (Monday is the first day of the week.)
• Incorrect: "Ich habe am montag einen Termin." (Incorrect capitalization)

Are Days of the Week Capitalized in German?

Yes, days of the week in German are always capitalized, regardless of their position in a sentence. This is part of a broader rule in German grammar that requires all nouns to be capitalized. This makes German unique among European languages, as most don't capitalize common nouns.

German days of the week have fascinating etymological origins that blend Germanic mythology, celestial bodies, and Christian influence:

Origins and Meanings

• Montag: From "Mond" (moon) + "Tag" (day) = "Moon's day"
• Dienstag: From Old High German "Ziestag," named after the Germanic god Ziu or Tyr, god of war (equivalent to Mars in Roman mythology)
• Mittwoch: Literally "mid-week" (Mitte der Woche) - unlike other Germanic languages, German doesn't reference the god Wodan/Odin for Wednesday
• Donnerstag: From "Donner" (thunder) + "Tag" (day), named after the Germanic god of thunder, Donar/Thor
• Freitag: Named after the Norse goddess Freya or Frigg, goddess of love and fertility
• Samstag: Derived from Greek "Sambaton," which came from Hebrew "Shabbat" (day of rest)
• Sonntag: From "Sonne" (sun) + "Tag" (day) = "Sun's day"

Days with Prepositions

In German, days of the week are typically used with the preposition "am" (on) when referring to a specific day:

• "Am Montag gehe ich ins Kino." (On Monday I go to the cinema.)
• "Am Dienstag habe ich einen Termin." (On Tuesday I have an appointment.)

Expressing Recurring Events

For activities that happen regularly on a particular day, Germans often use the days in plural form, but this isn't mandatory:

• "Montags gehe ich schwimmen." (On Mondays I go swimming.)
• Alternative: "Jeden Montag gehe ich schwimmen." (Every Monday I go swimming.)

Common Phrases with Days

• "Welcher Tag ist heute?" (What day is today?)
• "Heute ist Freitag." (Today is Friday.)
• "Welcher Tag war gestern?" (What day was yesterday?)
• "Welcher Tag ist morgen?" (What day is tomorrow?)
• "am Montagmorgen" (on Monday morning)
• "am Dienstagnachmittag" (on Tuesday afternoon)
• "am Mittwochabend" (on Wednesday evening)

Abbreviations

In calendars, schedules, and notes, German days of the week are sometimes abbreviated as follows:

• Mo. - Montag
• Di. - Dienstag
• Mi. - Mittwoch
• Do. - Donnerstag
• Fr. - Freitag
• Sa. - Samstag
• So. - Sonntag

In German-speaking countries, certain cultural practices and traditions are associated with specific days of the week:

Business and Social Customs

• Ruhezeiten (Quiet Times): Germany has strict quiet hours (typically between 10 PM and 6 or 7 AM) every day, but these are particularly emphasized on Sundays and public holidays.
• Ladenschlussgesetz (Shop Closing Law): Though regulations have relaxed in recent years, traditionally most shops in Germany were closed on Sundays (Sonntag) due to legal restrictions. This "Sunday rest" (Sonntagsruhe) is still largely observed.
• Feierabend: This German concept, literally "celebration evening," refers to the end of the workday, especially on Friday (Freitag) when the weekend begins. It marks the transition from work to leisure time.

Traditional Food Associations

Some German regions have traditional food associations for specific days:

• Donnerstag (Thursday): In some areas, traditionally the day for green vegetables or legumes
• Freitag (Friday): Traditionally fish day (Fischtag) in Catholic regions
• Sonntag (Sunday): Often reserved for more elaborate family meals, including the tradition of "Sonntagsbraten" (Sunday roast)

Regional Traditions

Some days have special regional significance:

• Rosenmontag ("Rose Monday"): Not a regular weekday name, but an important carnival Monday before Ash Wednesday, especially in the Rhineland region
• Donnerstag (Thursday): "Weiberfastnacht" or "Women's Carnival Day" in certain regions, marking the beginning of street carnival

Pattern Recognition

Notice that all German days end with "-tag" (meaning "day"), except for "Mittwoch" (Wednesday). This pattern helps with both spelling and remembering that these words are all directly related to days.

God and Celestial Connections

Several German days have clear connections to their English counterparts through shared Germanic mythology:

• Montag/Monday: Both relate to the Moon (Mond/Moon)
• Dienstag/Tuesday: Both relate to a war god (Ziu or Tyr)
• Donnerstag/Thursday: Both relate to the thunder god (Donar or Thor)
• Freitag/Friday: Both relate to the goddess Freya or Frigg
• Sonntag/Sunday: Both relate to the Sun (Sonne/Sun)

The Exception: Mittwoch

Remember "Mittwoch" as the exception that breaks the mythological pattern. It literally means "mid-week," which makes logical sense for the middle day of a seven-day week.

German Days of the Week Song

A popular children's song for learning the German days follows a simple, catchy melody:

Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch, Donnerstag, Freitag, Samstag, Sonntag,
Das sind die sieben Tage in der Woch',
Sieben Tage hat die Woche,
Und dann fängt es wieder von vorne an.

(Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
These are the seven days of the week,
Seven days has the week,
And then it starts all over again.)

1. Forgetting to Capitalize Days

Wrong: "Ich habe am montag einen Termin."
Right: "Ich habe am Montag einen Termin."
Why: All German nouns, including days of the week, must be capitalized. This is a fundamental rule of German grammar and forgetting it is instantly noticeable to native speakers.

2. Using "auf" Instead of "am" with Days

Wrong: "Ich sehe dich auf Freitag."
Right: "Ich sehe dich am Freitag."
Why: "Auf" means "on" in spatial contexts, but with days you must use "am" (a contraction of "an dem"). English speakers often make this mistake due to direct translation of "on Friday."

3. Incorrect Use of Plural Forms

Wrong: "Am Montags gehe ich schwimmen." (mixing singular article with plural day)
Right: "Montags gehe ich schwimmen." (no article, plural form) OR "Am Montag gehe ich schwimmen." (article with singular)
Why: When using the plural form for recurring events (Montags, Dienstags), don't use the article "am." The plural form alone indicates "every Monday."

4. Mispronouncing the Final "g" Sound

Wrong: Pronouncing "Montag" as "Mon-tahg" with a soft "g"
Right: Pronounce it as "Mon-tahk" with a hard "k" sound
Why: In German, final "g" is typically pronounced as "k" (this is called "Auslautverhärtung" or "final devoicing").

5. Using "in" Instead of "am" for Days

Wrong: "Wir treffen uns in Mittwoch."
Right: "Wir treffen uns am Mittwoch."
Why: "In" is used for months, years, and seasons, but days require "am." This is a common mistake for beginners confusing temporal prepositions.

6. Incorrectly Forming Compound Time Expressions

Wrong: "Am Montag Morgen" (separate words with space)
Right: "Am Montagmorgen" (one compound word)
Why: German loves compound words. When combining a day with a time of day (Morgen, Nachmittag, Abend), write them as one word.

Making Appointments and Professional Plans

• "Passt Ihnen Dienstag?" - Does Tuesday suit you? (formal)
• "Haben Sie am Donnerstag Zeit?" - Do you have time on Thursday? (formal)
• "Wir treffen uns am Freitag um 14 Uhr." - We'll meet Friday at 2 PM.
• "Können wir auf Mittwoch verschieben?" - Can we postpone to Wednesday?
• "Der Termin ist am Montag um 9 Uhr." - The appointment is Monday at 9 AM.
• "Wann hätten Sie Zeit? Montag oder Dienstag?" - When would you have time? Monday or Tuesday?

Talking About Your Schedule

• "Ich arbeite von Montag bis Freitag." - I work Monday through Friday.
• "Mittwochs habe ich frei." - I'm off on Wednesdays.
• "Meine Arbeitszeiten sind 8 bis 17 Uhr, Montag bis Donnerstag." - My work hours are 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Thursday.
• "Freitags arbeite ich im Homeoffice." - On Fridays I work from home.
• "Das Büro ist sonntags geschlossen." - The office is closed on Sundays.
• "Ich habe am Montag Urlaub." - I'm on vacation Monday / I have Monday off.

Travel and Tourism Expressions

• "Das Museum ist montags geschlossen." - The museum is closed on Mondays.
• "Gibt es samstags einen Markt?" - Is there a market on Saturday?
• "Die Geschäfte schließen sonntags früh." - The shops close early on Sundays.
• "Ich reise am Dienstag ab und komme am Donnerstag zurück." - I'm leaving Tuesday and coming back Thursday.
• "Der Flug geht am Mittwoch um 10:30 Uhr." - The flight leaves Wednesday at 10:30 AM.
• "Wir kommen Sonntagabend an." - We arrive Sunday evening.
• "Ist das Restaurant donnerstags geöffnet?" - Is the restaurant open on Thursdays?

Business Email Expressions

• "Ich bin von Montag bis Mittwoch nicht im Büro." - I'll be out of the office from Monday to Wednesday.
• "Ich melde mich am Donnerstag bei Ihnen." - I'll get back to you Thursday.
• "Das Meeting findet am nächsten Dienstag statt." - The meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday.
• "Könnten Sie bitte bis Freitag bestätigen?" - Could you please confirm by Friday?
• "Ich schicke Ihnen den Bericht bis Dienstag." - I'll send you the report by Tuesday.
• "Ab Montag bin ich wieder erreichbar." - I'll be available again starting Monday.

Past and Future Time References

• "letzten Montag" or "vergangenen Montag" - last Monday
• "nächsten Montag" or "kommenden Montag" - next Monday
• "in zwei Wochen am Montag" - Monday in two weeks
• "vor drei Tagen" - three days ago
• "bis Donnerstag" - by Thursday
• "vor Freitag" - before Friday
• "nach Mittwoch" - after Wednesday
• "übernächsten Dienstag" - Tuesday after next / the Tuesday after next Tuesday

Idiomatic Expressions and Sayings

• "Von Montag bis Sonntag" - Seven days a week, around the clock
• "Blauer Montag" - Originally a Monday off (skipping work), historically related to craft guilds' day off
• "Lange Woche machen" - To work a full week including Saturday
• "Feierabend!" - End of workday! (celebratory, especially on Friday)
• "Montags-Blues" - Monday blues (reluctance to start the work week)
• "Sonntagsfahrer" - Literally "Sunday driver," meaning an inexperienced or slow driver
• "Nicht alle Tage" - Not every day (meaning something special or unusual)

Regional and Cultural Variations

• Germany: Most regions use "Samstag" for Saturday, but northeastern regions and former East Germany often use "Sonnabend."
• Austria: Primarily uses "Samstag," though "Sonnabend" is understood. Austrian German has some unique expressions for scheduling.
• Switzerland: Uses "Samstag" exclusively. Swiss German dialects may have different pronunciations and local variations.
• Southern vs. Northern Germany: Pronunciation can vary significantly. Southern regions may pronounce final consonants differently than northern regions.

Professional and Academic Contexts

• "Die Arbeitswoche" - The work week
• "Ein Feiertag" - A public holiday
• "Ein Werktag" - A working day (Monday-Saturday, excluding holidays)
• "Ein Wochentag" - A weekday (Monday-Friday in most contexts)
• "Teilzeit arbeiten" - To work part-time
• "Die Öffnungszeiten" - Opening hours
• "Gleitzeit" - Flexible working hours
• "Brückentag" - Bridge day (taking a day off between a holiday and weekend)

Compound Words with Days

German excels at creating compound words with days of the week:

• "Montagmorgen" - Monday morning
• "Dienstagnachmittag" - Tuesday afternoon
• "Mittwochabend" - Wednesday evening
• "Donnerstagvormittag" - Thursday morning (before noon)
• "Freitagabendverkehr" - Friday evening traffic
• "Samstagmorgenroutine" - Saturday morning routine
• "Sonntagsbraten" - Sunday roast

Downloadable Study Materials

Related Topics to Explore

• Days of the Week in English - Compare Germanic language patterns
• Days of the Week in Dutch - See similarities with German
• Days of the Week in French - Contrast with Romance language structure
• Days of the Week in Spanish - See how Romance languages differ from Germanic
• Etymology of Weekday Names - Deep dive into Norse mythology and planetary origins
• Test Your Knowledge - Interactive quiz covering multiple languages

Study Tips for Long-term Retention

1. Daily Practice: Use German days in your daily planner. Label your calendar with German day names to see them constantly.
2. Capitalization Drill: Practice writing German sentences with days, focusing on always capitalizing the day names. This builds muscle memory.
3. Pronunciation Focus: Pay special attention to the final "g" → "k" sound (Auslautverhärtung). Listen to the audio examples repeatedly.
4. Use Them in Context: Practice full sentences, not isolated words. Try: "Am Montag gehe ich zur Arbeit."
5. Learn the Patterns: Notice that 6 days end in "-tag" and only Mittwoch breaks this pattern. Use this to your advantage.
6. Watch German Media: German TV shows, news, and YouTube videos frequently use days of the week. Try to catch them when mentioned.
7. Practice Compound Words: German creates many compounds with days (Montagmorgen, Freitagabend). Practice forming and pronouncing these.
8. Connect Etymology: Understanding that Donnerstag relates to Donar (thunder god) and Freitag to Freya creates memorable associations.
9. Use Mnemonic Devices: Create a story or image linking each day to its meaning (Montag = Moon day, Sonntag = Sun day).
10. Practice Prepositions: Drill "am" with days until it becomes automatic. Say "am Montag, am Dienstag..." repeatedly.

Next Steps in Your German Learning Journey

Once you've mastered the days of the week, expand your time-related vocabulary:

• Die Monate des Jahres - The months of the year
• Die Jahreszeiten - The seasons
• Die Uhrzeit - Telling time in German (including 24-hour format)
• Das Datum - Expressing dates in German
• Zeitausdrücke - Time expressions (gestern, heute, morgen, vorgestern, etc.)
• Deutsche Feiertage - German public holidays