Names of the Days of the Week in English

There are seven days of the week in English: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We use these day names to talk about daily routines, school schedules, work, appointments, and future plans. Learning the names of the days of the week is an important part of basic English vocabulary.

The seven days are divided into weekdays and weekends in many English-speaking countries. Monday through Friday are commonly called weekdays, while Saturday and Sunday make up the weekend. Each day has a specific name and spelling, and the names always begin with a capital letter in English.

In this guide, you will learn the names of the days of the week in English, their correct spellings, pronunciation, abbreviations, and meanings. You will also discover how to use day names in everyday sentences, understand basic grammar rules, and avoid common mistakes when talking about days and weeks.

What Are the Days of the Week in English?

The days of the week are the seven named periods that make up one calendar week. Each day lasts 24 hours, and the same seven-day cycle repeats every week. We use these names to identify specific days, organize activities, and describe when something happens.

The seven days of the week in English are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Seven Days of the Week in English

The following table shows all seven days of the week in the common Monday-first order.

Note: Monday is the first day of the week according to the international ISO 8601 standard. However, some calendars, including many used in the United States, begin the week on Sunday. Both arrangements use the same seven day names.

Examples of Days of the Week in Sentences

Here are some simple examples showing how we use the names of the days of the week in everyday English.

• Monday: I start my English classes on Monday.

• Tuesday: We have a meeting on Tuesday.

• Wednesday: She visits the library on Wednesday.

• Thursday: My brother plays football on Thursday.

• Friday: We usually finish work early on Friday.

• Saturday: I go shopping with my family on Saturday.

• Sunday: They spend time together on Sunday.

These examples show how day names help us describe activities, routines, and schedules.

Remember: The names of the days of the week are proper nouns, so they always begin with capital letters. For example, write Monday, not monday.

Learning these seven names is the first step toward understanding how to talk about days, dates, and weekly schedules in English.

List of the Seven Days of the Week in Order

The seven days of the week in English follow a repeating sequence: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. After Sunday, a new week begins with Monday in the Monday-first calendar system.

Learning the days of the week in order helps English learners understand calendars, organize weekly schedules, and talk about events happening on different days.

Days of the Week in Correct Order

Here is the list of the seven days of the week in Monday-first order:

1. Monday – The first day of the week.

2. Tuesday – The second day of the week.

3. Wednesday – The third day of the week.

4. Thursday – The fourth day of the week.

5. Friday – The fifth day of the week.

6. Saturday – The sixth day of the week.

7. Sunday – The seventh day of the week.

This order follows the international ISO 8601 calendar standard. In calendars that start on Sunday, Sunday comes first and Saturday comes last.

How to Remember the Days of the Week in Order

One simple way to remember the seven days is to divide them into two groups:

• Five weekdays: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

• Two weekend days: Saturday and Sunday.

You can also practice by saying the names aloud in order several times.

Understanding the Order of Days

The words before, after, previous, and next help us explain the order of the days of the week.

For example:

• Monday comes before Tuesday.

• Wednesday comes after Tuesday.

• Thursday comes before Friday.

• Saturday comes after Friday.

• Sunday comes before Monday in the repeating weekly cycle.

• Tuesday is the day between Monday and Wednesday.

• Friday is the day between Thursday and Saturday.

Examples of Days in Weekly Schedules

Here are some everyday examples that show how the days follow one another.

• I go to school from Monday to Friday.

• Our English lessons are on Monday and Wednesday.

• She works from Tuesday to Saturday.

• We have a family dinner every Sunday.

• The office is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Quick Tip: Practice writing the seven days in order without looking at the list. This simple exercise can help you remember their correct spellings and sequence.

Abbreviations of the Days of the Week in English

The abbreviations of the days of the week are shortened forms of the seven day names. In English, we commonly use three-letter abbreviations such as Mon. for Monday, Tue. for Tuesday, and Wed. for Wednesday. These short forms help save space in calendars, timetables, schedules, and written communication.

List of Days of the Week with Abbreviations

The following table shows the full names of the seven days of the week and their common three-letter and two-letter abbreviations.

Note: Three-letter abbreviations may be written with or without periods, depending on the writing style. For example, both Mon. and Mon are used. Two-letter forms are common in compact calendars and schedules.

Names of the Weekends

In English, the word ‘weekend’ is most commonly used to refer to the end of the week. The weekend means two days; Saturday and Sunday.

Examples

• I buy groceries on the weekend.
• He visits his parents on the weekend.
• The store will be closed on the weekend.
• The management will meet on the weekend to discuss important issues.

Other Names of the Weekdays

Sometimes we use other names for the days of the week in English communication to describe things or talk about events—for instance, yesterday, today, tomorrow, or the other day. Yesterday means the day before today, tomorrow refers to the day after today, and today is the present day. Let’s look at the following examples using words yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Examples:

• I met him yesterday.
• He is coming today.
• The meeting will start at 10 p.m. tomorrow.
• It’s raining today.
• Snowfall will start tomorrow.
• I will be off from work the day after tomorrow.
• My friend called me the day before yesterday.

Names and Meanings of the Days of the Week

Each day of the week represents a certain meaning. These associated meanings tell us about the history and origin of the days of the week. We also get information about how they were named. Let’s take a brief look at the names and their associations:

Origins of the Days of the Week

The origin of the days of the week dates back to the Babylonians, who first divided time into a seven-day week. They named days after the seven heavenly bodies that they could see in the sky, such as the Sun, Moon, and five planets.

Later, Jewish tradition reinforced this idea through the seven days of creation of the universe in the Bible.

Then, the Romans named the days after their gods and planets. Later on, when this system spread across Europe, the days’ names were mixed with Norse mythology.

How to Use Days of the Week in Sentences

In English, days of the week are often used with prepositions such as on, by, and since. 

For example:

• We meet on Monday.
• Finish this work by Friday.
• I have been studying since Sunday.

Days of the week are also used in everyday expressions, such as:

• Monday blues (feeling tired at the start of the week)
• Weekend plans (things to do on Saturday or Sunday)

Capitalization and Grammar Rules

In English writing, there are some simple but important grammar rules for using the names of the days of the week. By following these grammar rules, you can make your writing free from grammatical mistakes. Let’s talk about each grammar rule in detail:

1. Capitalization

The names of the days are always capitalized in writing. The reason is that they are proper nouns. See the following examples:

• Monday is my busiest day of the week. (Correct)
• monday is my busines day of the week. (Incorrect)

2. Singular and Plural Forms

Days of the week can be used as both singular and plural. To talk about a specific day, we use them as singular. On the other hand, we use names of the days as plurals to describe repeated actions. See the following examples:

• I have a dentist appointment on Tuesday.
• She takes English classes on Tuesdays.

3. Prepositions with Days of the Week

The preposition on is mostly used with the names of days in English. See the following examples:

• See you on Friday.
• The next meeting will be on Monday.

Examples of Names of Days in Sentences

• He will be working next week.
• The store is open seven days a week.
• I will be visiting my parents on next Monday.
• My doctor’s appointment is tomorrow.
•  I am off from work on weekends.
• The first day of the week is Monday.
• I submitted my assignment yesterday.
• My graduation ceremony was on the day before yesterday.
• The weekend starts on Friday night.

Phrases Containing Days of the Week

In English, several phrases related to the word “week” are used. Learning these English phrases will help you better understand English communication. The reason is that these phrases are commonly used in daily life.

• week in and week out
• a week from today
• week after next
• week after week
• working week

Conclusion

Learning the names of the days of the week in English is an important step in building basic English vocabulary. The seven days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Knowing their names, correct spellings, and pronunciation helps you communicate clearly about daily activities and schedules.

Remember to capitalize day names and use the correct grammar when writing sentences. Practice using expressions such as on Monday, every Tuesday, and next Friday to improve your confidence in everyday English.

To continue improving your vocabulary, explore other useful time-related words, including the months of the year, seasons, and common time expressions.

Days of the Week in English FAQs

What are the seven days of the week in English?

The seven days of the week in English are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. These names are used to describe daily activities, schedules, appointments, and events.

How many days are there in a week?

There are seven days in one week. Each day has 24 hours, so a complete week contains 168 hours.

What is the first day of the week?

Monday is the first day of the week according to the ISO 8601 international standard. However, many calendars in the United States begin on Sunday. The first day depends on the calendar system being used.

What is the last day of the week?

Sunday is the last day of the week in the Monday-first calendar system. In calendars that begin on Sunday, Saturday is the last day.

What are the five weekdays in English?

The five weekdays are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. In many countries, these are the regular working and school days.

What are the two weekend days?

The two weekend days are Saturday and Sunday in many English-speaking countries. People commonly use these days for rest, family activities, and recreation.

What are the abbreviations of the days of the week?

The common three-letter abbreviations are Mon., Tue., Wed., Thu., Fri., Sat., and Sun. These short forms are frequently used in calendars, timetables, and schedules. Periods may be omitted depending on the writing style.

Why are the days of the week capitalized in English?

The names of the days of the week are capitalized because they are proper nouns. For example, Monday and Friday are correct, while monday and friday are incorrect.

Which day comes after Wednesday?

Thursday comes after Wednesday. The order is Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Which day comes before Monday?

Sunday comes before Monday in the repeating seven-day cycle. After Sunday, the sequence continues with Monday.

What is the difference between weekdays and weekends?

Weekdays usually refer to Monday through Friday, while weekends usually refer to Saturday and Sunday. Weekdays are commonly associated with work and school, while weekends are often used for rest and recreation.

How can I memorize the seven days of the week?

You can memorize the seven days by repeating their names in order, writing them daily, and using them in simple sentences. Practicing with a weekly calendar can also help you remember their spelling and sequence.

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