Days of the week in German: 7 words & pronunciation

2026-10-09

The days of the week in German are Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch, Donnerstag, Freitag, Samstag, and Sonntag. Below you’ll find pronunciation tips, article usage, example sentences, and a quick practice routine you can start today.

What are the days of the week in German?

German uses the same seven names as English, but the spelling and pronunciation differ. Here they are with English translations:

Montag – Monday
Dienstag – Tuesday
Mittwoch – Wednesday
Donnerstag – Thursday
Freitag – Friday
Samstag – Saturday
Sonntag – Sunday

Example sentences:

Ich habe am Montag einen Termin. – I have an appointment on Monday.
Dienstag gehe ich ins Fitnessstudio. – On Tuesday I go to the gym.
Mittwoch ist unser wöchentlicher Team‑Call. – Wednesday is our weekly team call.
Donnerstag gibt es ein Konzert. – There is a concert on Thursday.
Freitag mache ich einen Ausflug. – I’m taking a trip on Friday.
Samstag kaufe ich ein. – I shop on Saturday.
Am Sonntag ruhe ich mich aus. – I rest on Sunday.

German Buddy’s free everyday phrases list includes similar sentences you can copy and practice.

How do you pronounce each day correctly?

Pronunciation can trip beginners because of the German “ch” and “g” sounds. A quick guide:

Montag – /ˈmɔn.taːk/ (the “g” is a hard “k” sound)
Dienstag – /ˈdiːnstaːk/ (stress on the first syllable)
Mittwoch – /ˈmɪt.voːx/ (the “ch” is the soft “ich‑Laut”)
Donnerstag – /ˈdɔnɐʃtaːk/ (the “g” again sounds like “k”)
Freitag – /ˈfʁaɪ̯taːk/ (the “ei” sounds like English “eye”)
Samstag – /ˈzams.taːk/ (initial “s” is voiced like “z”)
Sonntag – /ˈzɔntag/ (the “g” is a hard “k”)

Use the free listen‑and‑repeat tool to hear each word and record your own pronunciation for instant feedback.

Do German days have genders and articles?

All days of the week are masculine nouns, so they take the article der. When you talk about a specific day, you usually use the definite article:

der Montag – the Monday
am Dienstag – on Tuesday (short for an dem Dienstag)
im Mittwoch – in Wednesday (short for in dem Mittwoch)

In casual speech the article is often omitted, especially after prepositions like am (an dem) and im (in dem). Remember the gender when you need to use adjectives:

der lange Montag – the long Monday.

German Buddy’s word‑of‑the‑day feature highlights the gender of new vocabulary, helping you internalise patterns like this.

How can I practice the days of the week in context?

Learning isolated words is useful, but using them in real sentences cements them. Follow this three‑step routine today:

Write a short diary entry for the upcoming week, using one sentence per day. Example: Am Freitag treffe ich meine Freunde. – I meet my friends on Friday.
Record yourself reading the diary aloud. Use the repeat tool to compare your pronunciation with native audio.
Swap your diary with a language partner or post it in a German‑learning forum. Ask for corrections and note any alternative phrasing.

This routine combines writing, speaking, and listening – the three pillars of German Buddy’s daily practice model.

How to practise this topic with German Buddy

In the German Buddy app you can select “days of the week” as a prompt in the speaking/writing prompts section. Write or speak a sentence for each day, receive a gentle correction, and get a short tip to sound more natural. New users enjoy start practising free: 7 days of unlimited practice, then a free daily allowance that never runs out.

FAQ

Are the German days of the week capitalised?

Yes. All nouns in German, including the days of the week, start with a capital letter.

Do Germans use abbreviations for the days?

Common abbreviations are Mo., Di., Mi., Do., Fr., Sa., and So.. They appear in calendars and informal notes.

Can I use “am” with all days?

Generally, yes. Am (an dem) means “on” and is used with all days: am Montag, am Dienstag, etc.

Is there a difference between “Samstag” and “Sonnabend”?

In northern Germany “Sonnabend” is an older term for Saturday, but “Samstag” is the standard word nationwide.