In Spanish, the days of the week are used just like in English to organize time and schedule activities. Knowing these days will help you communicate effectively in Spanish-speaking environments.
Names of the Days and Pronunciation
Here's a table showing the names of the days of the week in Spanish along with their pronunciation:
| English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | lunes | loo-ness |
| Tuesday | martes | mar-tess |
| Wednesday | miércoles | mee-air-coh-lays |
| Thursday | jueves | hway-vess |
| Friday | viernes | vee-air-nays |
| Saturday | sábado | sah-bah-doh |
| Sunday | domingo | doh-meen-go |
Are you wondering whether you should capitalize the days of the week in Spanish? Let's clear up the confusion.
Capitalization Rules
In Spanish, days of the week are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence:
- Correct: El próximo lunes comienzan las clases. (Next Monday, classes start.)
- Correct: Sábado y domingo son mis días favoritos. (Saturday and Sunday are my favorite days.)
However, days of the week are capitalized if they're part of a proper name, such as holidays:
- Example: Viernes Santo (Good Friday), Sábado de Gloria (Holy Saturday).
Abbreviating Days of the Week in Spanish
Want to know how to abbreviate the days of the week in Spanish? Here's a guide.
Abbreviation Chart
Below is a chart showing different ways to abbreviate the days of the week:
| Day | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Monday | Lun. |
| Tuesday | Mar. |
| Wednesday | Mié. |
| Thursday | Jue. |
| Friday | Vie. |
| Saturday | Sáb. |
| Sunday | Dom. |
Using "el" with Days of the Week in Spanish
Understanding how to use the definite article "el" with the days of the week in Spanish is essential for beginners. Let's dive into it.
"El" as "On" instead of "The"
When discussing days of the week in Spanish, the definite article "el" takes on the meaning of "on" instead of "the". Here's how it works:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| No estudié el lunes. | I didn’t study on Monday. |
| No estudio los martes. | I don’t study on Tuesdays. |
| Hay una feria el miércoles. | There is a fair on Wednesday. |
| Hay muchas ferias los viernes. | There are many fairs on Fridays. |
Plural Forms of Days of the Week
When changing the days of the week ending in "-s" to their plural forms, only the article changes. You do not add another "-s". See the examples below:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| el lunes | los lunes |
| el martes | los martes |
| el miércoles | los miércoles |
| el jueves | los jueves |
| el viernes | los viernes |
| el sábado | los sábados |
| el domingo | los domingos |
Asking About the Days of the Week in Spanish
Asking about the days of the week in Spanish is an important skill for beginners. In this tutorial, we'll cover how to inquire about specific days in Spanish.
Basic Questions
To ask about the days of the week in Spanish, you can use simple questions. Here are some examples:
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| What day is it? | ¿Qué día es hoy? |
| What day is tomorrow? | ¿Qué día es mañana? |
| What day is it today? | ¿Qué día es hoy en día? |
| What day is it Monday? | ¿Qué día es el lunes? |
Responding to Questions
When responding to these questions, you can use the names of the days of the week in Spanish. Here are the days of the week in Spanish:
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Monday | lunes |
| Tuesday | martes |
| Wednesday | miércoles |
| Thursday | jueves |
| Friday | viernes |
| Saturday | sábado |
| Sunday | domingo |
For example:
- ¿Qué día es hoy? - Hoy es martes. (What day is it today? - Today is Tuesday.)
- ¿Qué día es mañana? - Mañana es miércoles. (What day is tomorrow? - Tomorrow is Wednesday.)
Using the Verb "Ser" to Talk About Days of the Week
When discussing the days of the week in Spanish, we use the verb "ser." Let's explore how this works.
The Verb "Ser" and Its Meaning
- The conjugation "es" of the verb "ser" means "is" in English.
- We'll learn more about the verb "ser" in future lessons, but for now, remember that "es" means "is."
Examples
- Question: ¿Qué día es hoy? (What day is today?)
- Answer: Hoy es miércoles. (Today is Wednesday.)
- Statement: Mañana es jueves. (Tomorrow is Thursday.)
Learning the Days of the Week in Spanish
Learning the days of the week in Spanish is fundamental for effective communication and scheduling. Let's delve into each day of the week in Spanish.
1. "El lunes" - Monday
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El lunes | Monday |
Meaning: "El lunes" translates to "Monday" in English.
Usage: It signifies the first day of the week in Spanish.
Example Sentence:
- Spanish: El lunes es el primer día de la semana.
- English: Monday is the first day of the week.
Pronunciation: "El lunes" is pronounced as "el loo-ness" in Spanish.
2. "El martes" - Tuesday
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El martes | Tuesday |
Meaning: "El martes" means "Tuesday" in English.
Usage: It indicates the second day of the week in Spanish.
Example Sentence:
- Spanish: El martes es el segundo día de la semana.
- English: Tuesday is the second day of the week.
Pronunciation: "El martes" is pronounced as "el mar-tess" in Spanish.
3. "El miércoles" - Wednesday
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El miércoles | Wednesday |
Meaning: "El miércoles" translates to "Wednesday" in English.
Usage: It denotes the third day of the week in Spanish.
Example Sentence:
- Spanish: El miércoles es el tercer día de la semana.
- English: Wednesday is the third day of the week.
Pronunciation: "El miércoles" is pronounced as "el mee-air-coh-lays" in Spanish.
4. "El jueves" - Thursday
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El jueves | Thursday |
Meaning: "El jueves" means "Thursday" in English.
Usage: It represents the fourth day of the week in Spanish.
Example Sentence:
- Spanish: El jueves es el cuarto día de la semana.
- English: Thursday is the fourth day of the week.
Pronunciation: "El jueves" is pronounced as "el hway-vess" in Spanish.
5. "El viernes" - Friday
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El viernes | Friday |
Meaning: "El viernes" translates to "Friday" in English.
Usage: It indicates the fifth day of the week in Spanish.
Example Sentence:
- Spanish: El viernes es el quinto día de la semana.
- English: Friday is the fifth day of the week.
Pronunciation: "El viernes" is pronounced as "el vee-air-nays" in Spanish.
6. "El sábado" - Saturday
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El sábado | Saturday |
Meaning: "El sábado" means "Saturday" in English.
Usage: It signifies the sixth day of the week in Spanish.
Example Sentence:
- Spanish: El sábado es el sexto día de la semana.
- English: Saturday is the sixth day of the week.
Pronunciation: "El sábado" is pronounced as "el sah-bah-doh" in Spanish.
7. "El domingo" - Sunday
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El domingo | Sunday |
Meaning: "El domingo" translates to "Sunday" in English.
Usage: It refers to the seventh day of the week in Spanish.
Example Sentence:
- Spanish: El domingo es el séptimo día de la semana.
- English: Sunday is the seventh day of the week.
Pronunciation: "El domingo" is pronounced as "el doh-meen-go" in Spanish.
Understanding each day of the week in Spanish will aid in effective communication and navigating daily life in Spanish-speaking environments.
