The days of the week in German are important building blocks for talking about schedules, making plans, and understanding dates. This article covers the singular and plural forms of each day, as well as example sentences and tips for usage.
German Days of the Week
In German, the days of the week are all masculine nouns and begin with a capital letter. Unlike English, the week traditionally starts on Monday (`Montag`) in German.
| German Day Singular | German Day Plural | English Singular | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montag | Montage | Monday | Mondays |
| Dienstag | Dienstage | Tuesday | Tuesdays |
| Mittwoch | Mittwoche | Wednesday | Wednesdays |
| Donnerstag | Donnerstage | Thursday | Thursdays |
| Freitag | Freitage | Friday | Fridays |
| Samstag | Samstage | Saturday | Saturdays |
| Sonntag | Sonntage | Sunday | Sundays |
Usage in Sentences
German uses an + day to mean "on [day]." The day remains singular.
| Example | English |
|---|---|
| Ich habe am Montag frei. | I have Monday off. |
| Wir treffen uns am Freitag. | We’ll meet on Friday. |
| Am Sonntag gehen wir spazieren. | On Sunday, we’ll go for a walk. |
Singular vs. Plural Usage
- Use the singular form when referring to a specific day.
- Use the plural form when talking about something that happens on multiple days or on "Mondays" in general.
| Example | English |
|---|---|
| Montags habe ich Deutsch. | I have German on Mondays. |
| Die Montage sind oft stressig. | Mondays are often stressful. |
| Dienstags und Donnerstags ist Yoga. | On Tuesdays and Thursdays, there is yoga. |
When do you use the plural form of a German day (e.g., 'Montage')?
When talking about something that happens on multiple days or regularly
The plural is used for habitual actions or to talk about multiple days (e.g., 'Montags habe ich Deutsch').
Tips
- Days of the week are always uppercase in German.
- Use am + [day singular] for "on [day]."
- Plurals are used for habitual actions (e.g., Montags gehe ich...).
- Mittwoch (Wednesday) is often used in the singular, even when meaning "Wednesdays" generally.
- Samstag and Sonntag (Saturday and Sunday) also have variants: Sonnabend (Saturday evening) is used in some regions.
These singular and plural forms, along with usage examples, should help you confidently use German days of the week in your everyday conversations.
What must you always remember about the capitalization of German days?
They must always be capitalized as they are nouns.
German nouns, including days of the week, are always capitalized regardless of their position in the sentence.
Flashcards (1 of 13)
- English Singular: Monday
- English Plural: Mondays
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
