Days of the Week (Junior Cert German): Revision Notes
Days of the Week
Learning the days of the week is essential for talking about your daily routine, making plans, and having conversations about time in German. This topic covers the basic vocabulary and important grammar rules for using days of the week correctly.
The seven days
In German, all days of the week are masculine nouns and always begin with a capital letter. Here are the days with their English translations:
| German | English | Pronunciation tip |
|---|---|---|
| der Montag | Monday | MON-tahk |
| der Dienstag | Tuesday | DEENS-tahk |
| der Mittwoch | Wednesday | MIT-vokh |
| der Donnerstag | Thursday | DON-ners-tahk |
| der Freitag | Friday | FRY-tahk |
| der Samstag | Saturday | ZAMS-tahk |
| der Sonntag | Sunday | ZON-tahk |
In northern Germany, Saturday is often called "Sonnabend" instead of "Samstag". Both are correct, but "Samstag" is more commonly used overall.
Using "am" for specific days
When you want to say something happens "on" a particular day, you use the preposition "am" (short for "an dem"). This is the most common way to talk about specific days.
The pattern is always: am + day = on [day]
Practice Examples: Using "am" with days
- Am Sonntag treffe ich meine Freundin. (On Sunday I'll meet my friend.)
- Am Freitag arbeite ich sowieso nicht! (On Friday I don't work anyway!)
Talking about regular activities
To express that something happens regularly on a particular day (like "on Sundays" or "on Mondays"), you use the day name in lowercase with an -s ending.
This is quite different from English, so pay attention to this rule! The day name becomes lowercase and gets an -s ending.
The pattern is: day name in lowercase + s = regularly on [day]s
Examples: Regular activities
- Sonntags arbeite ich nicht. (On Sundays I don't work.)
- Montags studiert sie sehr ernst. (On Mondays she studies very seriously.)
Talking about this, next, and last
When referring to a specific day in relation to now, you use these forms with the appropriate endings:
Examples: This, next, and last
- Diesen Sonntag fahre ich nach München. (This Sunday I'm going to Munich.)
- Nächsten Sonntag kommt sie zum Schloss. (Next Sunday she will come to the castle.)
- Letzten Sonntag ist sie nicht gekommen! (Last Sunday she didn't come!)
Useful time expressions
Here's a collection of helpful phrases for talking about time periods:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Tag | the day |
| jeden Tag | each/every day |
| täglich | daily/every day |
| die Woche | the week |
| jede Woche | every week |
| diese Woche | this week |
| nächste Woche | next week |
| das Wochenende | the weekend |
| am Wochenende | on the weekend |
| während der Woche | during the week |
| wochentags | on weekdays |
Example sentences in context
Practical Examples: Days in conversation
- Heute ist Sonntag. (Today is Sunday.)
- Jeden Tag arbeiten alle Schlossbewohner. (Every day all castle residents work.)
- Diese Woche besuche ich meine Freundin. (This week I'm visiting my friend.)
- Wochentags bin ich sehr beschäftigt. (On weekdays I'm very busy.)
- Am Wochenende entspanne ich mich. (On the weekend I relax.)
Asking about days and dates
These questions are very useful for everyday conversation:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Welcher Tag ist heute? | What day is it today? |
| Welches Datum haben wir heute? | What's the date? |
| Wann hast du Geburtstag? | When is your birthday? |
Translation practice
Translation Exercise
- Am Mittwoch gehe ich zum Arzt.
- Freitags haben wir immer frei.
- On Tuesday I have an appointment.
- On Sundays we always rest.
Answers:
- On Wednesday I go to the doctor.
- On Fridays we always have time off.
- Am Dienstag habe ich einen Termin.
- Sonntags ruhen wir uns immer aus.
Common mistakes and tips
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
Mistake 1: Using "an" instead of "am" with days
- Wrong: An Montag gehe ich...
- Correct: Am Montag gehe ich...
Mistake 2: Forgetting the -s ending for regular activities
- Wrong: Sonntag arbeite ich nicht.
- Correct: Sonntags arbeite ich nicht.
Mistake 3: Capitalising day names when they should be lowercase
- Wrong: Montags gehe ich...
- Correct: montags gehe ich...
Helpful Tip: Remember that German day names always take a capital letter when used as nouns, but become lowercase when used as adverbs (with -s ending for regular activities).
Key Points to Remember:
- All days of the week are masculine: der Montag, der Dienstag, etc.
- Use am + day for specific days: "Am Freitag..."
- Use lowercase day + s for regular activities: "freitags..."
- Samstag and Sonnabend both mean Saturday
- Days always start with capital letters except when used with -s for regular activities