Language provides us with a deep insight into the fabric of culture and society. German, as one of the most spoken languages in the world, is deeply influenced by the Mythology, the Christian religion and the mindset of German people. Learning German days of week not only aids communication but also lets us experience German culture. You’ll find deep insights into their origins, culture clashes, and how to use common German phrases related to days of the week in this article.
Let’s start with this Children’s song.
Origin of German days of week
Obviously, there is a strong similarity between the days of week in German and their English counterparts regarding form and structure. Each day of week except for one shares the same structure “root + ‘tag’(day)” and the initial letter must be capitalized, such as Montag, Dienstag and Samstag. Now, let’s break down the days of week from a historical perspective to understand their etymology!
“Montag” is the equivalent of “Monday” in German, which originates from the Old High German term “mānandag”, which means “Moon’s day”. According to ancient Germanic mythology, the influence of the moon determines the days of week.
“Dienstag” is equivalent to the English word “Tuesday”. The origin of the German word “Dienstag” can be traced to the Old High German term “dīnistac”, which can be translated to “Tiw’s day“. In Germanic mythology, “Tiw” is a patron of warriors and the god of war.
“Mittwoch” corresponds to “Wednesday” in English. The Old High German term “mittiwīh” serves as the origin of “Mittwoch”, which means “middle of the week”. The root of “Mittwoch” simply illustrates its position in the middle of the week.
“Donnerstag” is “Thursday” in English, relating to the Old High German term “Donarestac”. This day was understood to be “Thor’s day”, the god of thunder in Germanic mythology, famous for wielding his powerful hammer.
“Freitag” is the equivalent of “Friday”. The name is derived from Old German term “Frîatac” which means “Frija’s day”. Frija is the central Germanic goddess of marriage, family and social order.
“Samstag” is the German name for “Saturday”, which comes from the Old High German term “sambaztag”. It is believed that “sambaztag” means “the day of rest”. This day was associated with relations after labor.
“Sonntag” is German for “Sunday”, which literally means “Sun’s day”. The sun was a significant celestial body in Germanic cosmology.
Culture Clash-the First day of the week
Although the days of the week in German and English are similar in structure and origin, their respective starting days vary – as they do around the world! In North and South America, most countries start the week on Sunday, while in Europe and Oceania, Monday is typical. Africa and Asia are split: half start on Sunday, the other half on Monday. Some countries, like Afghanistan, Iran, and Somalia, start their week on Saturday.
For over 5,800 years, the first day of the week has been named after the Sun, the mightiest celestial body in our night sky. The seventh day became known as the Sabbath. Historical records trace back to the Babylonians, who established a 7-day week starting with the day of the Sun. The Greeks adopted this system, naming their days after their gods, starting with Helios, the Sun god. The Romans, inheriting much from the Greeks, began their week with ‘dies solis,’ the day of the Sun. Germanic tribes like the Saxons adopted and adapted the Roman week. ‘Dies solis’ became ‘Sunnandæg,’ which evolved into Sunday when the Angles and Saxons settled in Britain.
Until about 100 years ago, most people worked six days a week, reserving Sundays for church, except for Jewish communities who observed Saturdays. Henry Ford introduced a two-day weekend in 1926, boosting productivity. By 1932, the five-day work week became standard in the USA, marking a shift from religious to economic timekeeping. In 1988, ISO 8601 established Monday as the global start of the week, widely adopted across Europe and beyond.
Common phrases and expressions
We’ve already gotten a deep insight into cultural traditions and the culture clash regarding which day starts the week. Then, understanding important expressions for days of week in German will be crucial for fluent communication. Here are four key concepts to grasp:
① Accusative Expressions: “Diesen/ Jeden/ Nächsten/ Letzten + (….tag)”
These expressions are used to specify times relative to the present or past. For example:
“Diesen Montag” (this Monday): Ich gehe diesen Montag zum Arzt. (I am going to the doctor this Monday.)
“Nächsten Dienstag” (next Tuesday): Nächsten Dienstag habe ich einen wichtigen Termin. (Next Tuesday, I have an important appointment.)
“Letzten Mittwoch” (last Wednesday): Letzten Mittwoch war ich im Kino. (Last Wednesday, I was at the movies.)
② “Am” + Day of the Week: The preposition “am” is used with specific days of the week to indicate a regular occurrence or scheduled event:
“Am Sonntag” (on Sunday): Am Sonntag gehe ich immer spazieren. (On Sundays, I always go for a walk.)
“Am Samstagabend” (on Saturday evening): Am Samstagabend treffen wir uns zum Essen. (On Saturday evening, we meet for dinner.)
③ “+s” for Habitual Actions: Adding “+s” to the day of the week indicates a habitual or recurring action:
“Montags” (on Mondays): Montags gehe ich ins Fitnessstudio. (On Mondays, I go to the gym.)
“Freitags” (on Fridays): Freitags esse ich gerne Pizza. (On Fridays, I like to eat pizza.)
④ “Von … bis …” (From … to …) and “Vor … / Nach …” (Before … / After …): These phrases are used to express time ranges or relationships:
“Von Montag bis Freitag” (from Monday to Friday): Ich arbeite von Montag bis Freitag. (I work from Monday to Friday.)
“Vor dem Wochenende” (before the weekend): Vor dem Wochenende muss ich noch einkaufen gehen. (Before the weekend, I still need to go shopping.)
“Nach dem Mittagessen” (after lunch): Nach dem Mittagessen mache ich gerne einen kurzen Spaziergang. (After lunch, I like to take a short walk.)
Exercises
① Quiz Challenge: Test yourself on Sporcle to learn and recall German days of the week.
- “Sporcle offers quizzes to test your knowledge of German days of the week.”
- “Use Quizlet’s flashcards to memorize German days of the week with interactive quizzes.”
② Games for Language: Explore quick language games on Games for Language to practice German days of the week.
- “Games for Language provides interactive exercises for learning German days of the week.”
- “German Games Hub features interactive games for learning and mastering German days of the week.”
③ Pronunciation Practice: improve your pronunciation with the tutorial!
- “Improve your German pronunciation of days of the week with Lingohut’s audio lessons.”
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