Grasp the 7 Days of the Week in English Quick

69

One in every of your starting English classes will embody the query “What day is it?” Answering this query appears easy, nevertheless it’s vital to get it proper to keep away from confusion. Comply with this information to the times of the week in English and how one can use them in writing and conversations in English. You’ll additionally be taught the place phrases like Wednesday come from!

The English days of the week 

Though there are solely seven days of the week in English, they could be a little difficult—even for native English audio system. Check out these English phrases, how one can pronounce them, and how one can abbreviate (shorten) them in writing or on a calendar.

You may additionally see the times of the week abbreviated with one letter, corresponding to M for Monday or W for Wednesday. However be careful for Tuesday and Thursday. Since they each begin with T, they’re usually abbreviated as T (Tuesday) and Th (Thursday). Saturday and Sunday are usually abbreviated collectively as SS.

Find out how to use English days of the week in writing

Utilizing the times of the week in English means you’ll must be taught just a few grammar guidelines. Comply with these utilization tricks to keep away from making widespread errors and to make use of these phrases accurately in writing and in spoken dialog.

Deal with them like correct nouns

The times of the week in English are correct nouns. This implies you’ll capitalize them each time you write them (together with in abbreviations). 

• Incorrect: In the present day is tuesday.
• Right: In the present day is Tuesday.

Nonetheless, don’t use English articles like a, an, or the earlier than every day. 

• Incorrect: In the present day is the Tuesday.
• Right: In the present day is Tuesday.

You may additionally see the times of the week used as plural nouns with an -s on the finish. This often occurs whenever you’re speaking about occasions that happen over a number of weeks. For instance, “I’m going working on Wednesdays” implies that you go working each Wednesday, not simply this Wednesday.

Use ‘on’ as an alternative of ‘in’

A standard mistake that newbie English learners make is utilizing in as an alternative of on when speaking concerning the days of the week. In English, you utilize the English preposition on to explain one thing that occurs on a sure day.

• Incorrect: My birthday is in Saturday.
• Right: My birthday is on Saturday.

• Incorrect: Are you working in Monday?
• Right: Are you working on Monday?

English learners typically make this error as a result of we use the preposition in when speaking about months and years. For instance, “John visited me in January” is appropriate since you’re discussing a month. Once you change it to a day of the week in English (as in “John visited me on Thursday“) you utilize the preposition on.

Write out the total title in writing

Abbreviating the times of the week in English is usually a very useful approach to save house in your notes or planner. However whenever you’re writing full sentences or talking concerning the days of the week, use the entire phrase not the abbreviation.

• Incorrect: The social gathering is on Mon.
• Right: The social gathering is on Monday.

• Incorrect: Is in the present day Sat. or Solar.?
• Right: Is in the present day Saturday or Sunday?

Once you’re texting or sending casual messages a few day of the week, be at liberty to make use of the abbreviation together with different casual language. “See you Mon!” is a standard, informal approach to say “See you on Monday!”

Make clear which day of the week you imply

For the reason that English days of the week repeat each seven days, ensure you’re clear about which day you imply. Use the phrase this to speak concerning the day that’s arising the soonest (this week). You don’t use on in these sentences as you’ll be able to see beneath.

• Incorrect: Grandma is arriving on this Friday.
• Right: Grandma is visiting this Friday.

Use the phrase subsequent whenever you’re speaking a few day within the very subsequent week. 

• Incorrect: I’m working on subsequent Monday.
• Right: I’m working subsequent Monday.

Once you’re speaking about the newest day of the week that has handed, use the phrase final. For instance, “My automobile broke down final Tuesday.” For days which can be extra distance, use the date and the phrase on (My automobile broke down on Tuesday the sixth).

Use the day of the week + time of day

Get much more particular when speaking concerning the time on the day of the week in English! Including the phrases morning, afternoon, night, or evening after the day of the week provides a listener extra particulars about when one thing will happen. You don’t want to make use of this or subsequent for those who’re including the time of day.

• Incorrect: Our group is assembly on this Thursday afternoon.
• Right: Our group is assembly on Thursday afternoon.

• Incorrect: Nick and Mia get brunch on the Saturday mornings.
• Right: Nick and Mia get brunch on Saturday mornings.

Within the final instance, word that the -s went after morning as an alternative of Saturday. That exhibits that Nick and Mia get brunch each Saturday morning, not only one Saturday morning. Saturday turns into an adjective in English when used earlier than a noun like mornings.

Different methods to speak about days in English

The English days of the week are useful for speaking about plans and schedules. But when it’s essential to discuss time in one other manner, use these widespread English phrases to debate when one thing goes to occur.

• in the present day: the day that’s taking place proper now
• tonight: the evening on the finish of in the present day
• yesterday: the day that occurred earlier than in the present day
• tomorrow: the day that can occur after in the present day
• the day after tomorrow: the day that can occur two days from now
• the day earlier than yesterday: the day that occurred two days in the past
• the weekend: Saturday and Sunday
• weekdays: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday

Origins of the times of the week in English

One of many causes English may be laborious to be taught is that it makes use of phrases from many various languages, together with in its phrases for the times of the week. These names come from the historical Babylonian observe of naming the times after the seven astronomical our bodies they may see (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, plus the moon and the solar). However why does English use phrases like Tuesday when there’s no planet known as Tues?

Let’s have a look at the origin of the times of the week in English and the way they’re just like German days of the week (together with the English phrase day and the German phrase Tag). You’ll additionally see how they relate to the times of the week in Latin-based Romance languages like Spanish, although Wednesday and miércoles don’t sound the identical in any respect!

Monday

The title Monday comes from the phrase moon, which comes from the Outdated English phrase mona. It’s the day of the week named after the moon (the moon’s day). It additionally appears lots just like the German phrase Montag, which isn’t stunning as a result of English is a Germanic language.

In Latin, Monday can also be named after the moon, or luna. That’s why it’s known as lunes in Spanish, Lunedi in Italian, and lundi in Italian. Monday can also be the primary day of the week in keeping with ISO 8601, the worldwide commonplace for dates and instances.

Tuesday

Tuesday is called after the planet Mars, which appears complicated until you already know Roman and Norse mythology. Mars is the Roman god of struggle, and in Norse mythology, the god of struggle is Tyr or Tiu in Outdated English. That’s why we name it Tuesday, or “Tiu’s day!”

Romance languages additionally title this present day after the god of struggle. Martes in Spanish, mardi in French, and martedì all sound lots just like the title for the god (and planet) Mars.

Wednesday

Wednesday is called after the Norse god Odin, generally known as Woden in Outdated English (Woden’s day). That sounds fairly totally different from the planet Mercury, which is the idea of the day’s title in Romance languages (miércoles in Spanish, mercoledì in Italian, and mercredi in French). 

It’s additionally totally different from the German title for the day, Mittwoch (which interprets to “mid-week”). Nonetheless, the day’s title in Dutch, one other Germanic language, is Woensdag, which does look lots like Wednesday!

Thursday

Thursday is a simple one to guess for those who’re conversant in Norse mythology. It’s named after the Norse god of thunder, Thor (“Thor’s day”). The German phrase for Thursday is 

Donnerstag, after the Germanic god of thunder, Donar.

Romance languages additionally title this present day of the week after the god of thunder, Jupiter! In Spanish, the day is jueves, whereas in French, it’s jeudi. In Italian, the phrase for Thursday is giovedì. 

Friday

The English day of the week Friday is called after Frigg (also referred to as Freya) the Norse goddess of affection (“Frigg’s day”). You possibly can see the connection to the German phrase Freitag.

In languages based mostly on Latin, the title additionally displays the goddess of affection, Venus. It’s viernes in Spanish, venerdì in Italian, and vendredi in French.

Saturday

Saturday is the one English day of the week that sounds just like the Roman planet it’s named after! Saturday is “Saturn’s day,” named after the Roman god of agriculture and time. It has the same origin to the Dutch Zaterdag.

Romance languages base this present day of the week on the Latin phrase Sabbatum, which means “Sabbath.” That is the Jewish day of relaxation however is said to the early Christian church, too. That’s why it’s known as sábado in Spanish, sabato in Italian, and samedi in French. The German phrase for Saturday is Samstag, which can also be based mostly on the Latin origin.

Sunday

Sunday is called after the ultimate celestial physique that Babylonian’s may see: the solar. It’s the “solar’s day” in English and Sonntag in German. In Latin, this present day is called Dominicus, “the Lord’s day.” That’s why it’s domenica in Italian, domingo in Spanish, and dimanche in French.

Sunday is called the primary day of the week within the Christian calendar, however the final day of the week in keeping with worldwide requirements. 

Observe in the present day, tomorrow, and yesterday on an English calendar

As soon as you already know the times of the week in English, you’ll be capable of make plans with mates, schedule your work days, and ask folks about what they did on the weekend (which is a quite common English dialog subject!). Hold your English studying journey going with a lesson on numbers in English, and be taught extra about how Rosetta Stone works for studying English or another language.