Basic dates — Dates

Montag

Monday

'Montag' is pronounced like 'Mon-tag', with the 'tag' sounding like 'tack'.

In Germany, Monday is often considered the start of the workweek, much like in many other countries.

Dienstag

Tuesday

Pronounced 'Deenz-tag'. The 'ie' makes a long 'ee' sound.

Traditionally, Tuesdays are market days in some smaller German towns.

Mittwoch

Wednesday

Literally means 'middle of the week', pronounced 'Mitt-vock'.

Many Germans refer to it as 'Bergfest', the day's name is often celebrated as the mid-point of the work week.

Donnerstag

Thursday

Pronounced 'Donners-tag'; 'Donner' means 'thunder'.

Named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder, similar to 'Thursday' in English.

Freitag

Friday

Say it as 'Fry-tag'. The 'Frei' sounds like 'fry'.

'Freitag' signals the end of the workweek and the beginning of relaxation for many!

Samstag

Saturday

This is pronounced 'Samms-taaag'.

In some regions, 'Sonnabend' is another term for Saturday, especially in the north.

Sonntag

Sunday

Sounds like 'Zon-tag'.

Sundays are quiet days in Germany, with many shops closed. It's a day for rest and family.

Woche

Week

Pronounced 'Vo-khe', with a hard 'kh' sound as in Scottish 'loch'.

German weeks officially start on Mondays.

Diesen Montag

This monday

'Diesen' refers to a specific, current timeframe.