Mastering Spanish Days of the Week: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the days of the week in Spanish is crucial for basic communication, planning, and expressing time. This article provides a comprehensive guide to the Spanish days of the week, covering their names, grammatical gender, usage rules, common mistakes, and advanced topics. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this resource will help you master this essential aspect of Spanish grammar and vocabulary.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Definition of Spanish Days of the Week
• Structural Breakdown
• Types or Categories
• Examples
  • Singular Days
  • Plural Days
  • Days in Sentences
• Usage Rules
  • Definiteness (Using ‘el’ or ‘los’)
  • Expressing Frequency
  • Using Prepositions
• Common Mistakes
• Practice Exercises
  • Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
  • Exercise 2: Translation
  • Exercise 3: Error Correction
• Advanced Topics
  • Idioms with Days of the Week
  • Cultural Significance
• FAQ
• Conclusion

Definition of Spanish Days of the Week

The Spanish days of the week are words used to identify each of the seven days in a week, derived from Latin. They are essential for scheduling, making plans, and discussing time. Unlike English, most Spanish days of the week are masculine and are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence.

The days are: lunes (Monday), martes (Tuesday), miércoles (Wednesday), jueves (Thursday), viernes (Friday), sábado (Saturday), and domingo (Sunday). Their primary function is to denote specific days within a weekly cycle, facilitating communication and organization.

Structural Breakdown

The structure of Spanish days of the week is relatively simple. Most of the weekday names (Monday through Friday) end in “-es.” This can be helpful for remembering them. The weekend days, sábado and domingo, have different endings and are more closely related to their Latin roots. Let’s break down each day:

• Lunes: Derived from Latin “Lunae dies” (day of the Moon).
• Martes: Derived from Latin “Martis dies” (day of Mars).
• Miércoles: Derived from Latin “Mercurii dies” (day of Mercury).
• Jueves: Derived from Latin “Iovis dies” (day of Jupiter).
• Viernes: Derived from Latin “Veneris dies” (day of Venus).
• Sábado: Derived from Latin “Sabbati dies” (day of Sabbath).
• Domingo: Derived from Latin “Dominicus dies” (day of the Lord).

Notice that Monday through Friday reference Roman gods/planets. Also, sábado and domingo are the only days which retain their capitalization when not beginning a sentence.

Types or Categories

The Spanish days of the week can be categorized primarily based on their grammatical gender and whether they refer to a single day or multiple days. Here’s a breakdown:

• Grammatical Gender: Most days are masculine (el lunes, el martes, etc.). This affects the articles and adjectives used with them.
• Singular vs. Plural: The weekday names (lunes to viernes) are the same in both singular and plural forms. Sábado and domingo, however, have distinct plural forms (sábados and domingos).
• Weekdays vs. Weekend: This is a functional categorization. Weekdays are typically associated with work or school, while weekends are associated with leisure.

Examples

This section provides extensive examples of the Spanish days of the week in various contexts, including singular and plural forms, and within complete sentences. Understanding how to use these days in different situations is crucial for effective communication.

Singular Days

The following table illustrates the use of singular days of the week in Spanish. Note the use of the masculine article “el” before each day.

Spanish	English
El lunes es mi día favorito.	Monday is my favorite day.
El martes tengo una reunión.	On Tuesday I have a meeting.
El miércoles vamos al cine.	On Wednesday we are going to the cinema.
El jueves estudio español.	On Thursday I study Spanish.
El viernes salgo con mis amigos.	On Friday I go out with my friends.
El sábado voy al mercado.	On Saturday I go to the market.
El domingo descanso en casa.	On Sunday I rest at home.
El lunes pasado fue festivo.	Last Monday was a holiday.
El martes que viene iremos a la playa.	Next Tuesday we will go to the beach.
El miércoles es la mitad de la semana.	Wednesday is the middle of the week.
El jueves por la noche tengo clase de baile.	On Thursday evening I have a dance class.
El viernes es el mejor día de la semana.	Friday is the best day of the week.
El sábado por la mañana hago ejercicio.	On Saturday morning I exercise.
El domingo es el día del Señor.	Sunday is the Lord’s day.
El lunes, si el tiempo lo permite, iremos de excursión.	On Monday, weather permitting, we will go on a hike.
El martes siempre me siento productivo.	On Tuesday I always feel productive.
El miércoles me gusta cocinar algo especial.	On Wednesday I like to cook something special.
El jueves suelo visitar a mis abuelos.	On Thursday I usually visit my grandparents.
El viernes por la noche pedimos pizza.	On Friday night we order pizza.
El sábado por la tarde voy de compras.	On Saturday afternoon I go shopping.
El domingo me levanto tarde.	On Sunday I get up late.
El lunes empiezo un nuevo trabajo.	On Monday I start a new job.

Plural Days

This table demonstrates the use of plural days of the week. Note that only sábado and domingo have distinct plural forms (sábados and domingos), and that the article changes to “los.” For the other days, the article “los” indicates plurality but the day name remains the same.

Spanish	English
Los lunes son difíciles.	Mondays are difficult.
Los martes tengo clases de matemáticas.	On Tuesdays I have math classes.
Los miércoles jugamos al fútbol.	On Wednesdays we play soccer.
Los jueves voy al gimnasio.	On Thursdays I go to the gym.
Los viernes salimos de fiesta.	On Fridays we go partying.
Los sábados voy al cine.	On Saturdays I go to the cinema.
Los domingos descansamos.	On Sundays we rest.
Los lunes y miércoles tengo entrenamiento.	On Mondays and Wednesdays I have training.
Los martes y jueves estudio en la biblioteca.	On Tuesdays and Thursdays I study at the library.
Los viernes por la noche vemos una película.	On Friday nights we watch a movie.
Los sábados por la mañana hago la compra.	On Saturday mornings I do the shopping.
Los domingos vamos a la iglesia.	On Sundays we go to church.
Los lunes siempre llego tarde al trabajo.	On Mondays I am always late for work.
Los martes y jueves tengo clases de inglés.	On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have English classes.
Los miércoles por la tarde visito a mi abuela.	On Wednesday afternoons I visit my grandmother.
Los viernes por la noche cenamos fuera.	On Friday nights we have dinner out.
Los sábados por la tarde voy al parque.	On Saturday afternoons I go to the park.
Los domingos por la mañana desayuno con mi familia.	On Sunday mornings I have breakfast with my family.
Los lunes son los peores días para mí.	Mondays are the worst days for me.
Los sábados y domingos son mis días libres.	Saturdays and Sundays are my days off.

Days in Sentences

This section provides examples of how to use the days of the week in complete sentences, incorporating various verbs and contexts. These examples will help you understand how to construct grammatically correct and meaningful sentences using Spanish days of the week.

Spanish	English
Voy a la playa el domingo.	I’m going to the beach on Sunday.
Trabajo de lunes a viernes.	I work from Monday to Friday.
El concierto es el sábado por la noche.	The concert is on Saturday night.
No me gusta trabajar los lunes.	I don’t like working on Mondays.
¿Qué vas a hacer el viernes?	What are you going to do on Friday?
Tenemos una reunión el miércoles a las tres.	We have a meeting on Wednesday at three.
El jueves es el día de la semana que menos me gusta.	Thursday is the day of the week I like the least.
Estudio español los martes y jueves.	I study Spanish on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
El lunes pasado fui al médico.	Last Monday I went to the doctor.
El próximo viernes celebraremos el cumpleaños de María.	Next Friday we will celebrate Maria’s birthday.
Los domingos suelo ir a misa.	On Sundays I usually go to mass.
El sábado que viene vamos de excursión a la montaña.	Next Saturday we are going on a hike to the mountains.
Los miércoles por la noche veo mi serie favorita.	On Wednesday nights I watch my favorite series.
El martes tengo una cita con el dentista.	On Tuesday I have a dentist appointment.
El viernes por la tarde voy al supermercado.	On Friday afternoon I go to the supermarket.
Los sábados por la noche salgo a bailar.	On Saturday nights I go dancing.
El domingo por la tarde leo un libro.	On Sunday afternoon I read a book.
El lunes empiezo mis vacaciones.	On Monday I start my vacation.
Los martes por la mañana hago yoga.	On Tuesday mornings I do yoga.
El miércoles tengo una entrevista de trabajo.	On Wednesday I have a job interview.
Los jueves por la tarde voy a clases de piano.	On Thursday afternoons I go to piano lessons.
El viernes por la noche ceno con mi pareja.	On Friday night I have dinner with my partner.

Usage Rules

Understanding the usage rules for Spanish days of the week is crucial for speaking and writing correctly. These rules cover definiteness, frequency, and the use of prepositions.

Definiteness (Using ‘el’ or ‘los’)

When referring to a specific day, use the definite article “el” (the) for singular days. When referring to a recurring action or habit on a particular day, use “los” (the) for plural days (even if the day itself doesn’t change to a plural form, like lunes).

Example: El lunes voy al cine. (On Monday, I am going to the cinema – one specific Monday). Los lunes voy al cine. (On Mondays, I go to the cinema – every Monday).

Expressing Frequency

To express frequency with days of the week, you can use adverbs of frequency or phrases like “cada” (every) or “todos los” (every). Here are some examples:

• Siempre: Siempre voy al gimnasio los martes. (I always go to the gym on Tuesdays.)
• Normalmente: Normalmente trabajo los sábados. (I normally work on Saturdays.)
• A veces: A veces salgo los viernes. (Sometimes I go out on Fridays.)
• Nunca: Nunca trabajo los domingos. (I never work on Sundays.)
• Cada: Voy al mercado cada sábado. (I go to the market every Saturday.)
• Todos los: Todos los lunes tengo una reunión. (Every Monday I have a meeting.)

Using Prepositions

The preposition “en” is generally NOT used with days of the week in Spanish. The definite article “el” or “los” usually suffices to indicate “on” a particular day or days.

Correct: Voy a la fiesta el sábado. (I am going to the party on Saturday.)
Incorrect: Voy a la fiesta en el sábado.

However, prepositions are used when describing the time *within* a specific day, such as “por la mañana” (in the morning), “por la tarde” (in the afternoon), or “por la noche” (at night).

Example: El viernes por la noche vamos a cenar fuera. (On Friday night we are going to have dinner out.)

Common Mistakes

Here are some common mistakes that learners make when using Spanish days of the week:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
En lunes voy al trabajo.	El lunes voy al trabajo.	The preposition “en” is not used before days of the week.
Los lunes yo voy al trabajo.	Los lunes voy al trabajo.	Adding “yo” is redundant.
Lunes voy al cine.	El lunes voy al cine.	The definite article “el” is needed for a specific Monday.
Voy a la playa en domingo.	Voy a la playa el domingo.	The preposition “en” is not used before days of the week.
Los sabados voy al cine.	Los sábados voy al cine.	The days of the week “sábado” and “domingo” are the only days that change to plural form, and require the plural “los”.
Los lunes es dificil.	Los lunes son difíciles.	Verb “ser” must agree in number.
El domingo voy a iglesia.	El domingo voy a la iglesia.	Missing definite article before “iglesia”.
En los martes tengo clase.	Los martes tengo clase.	Incorrect use of preposition “en”.
El luneses es mi día libre.	El lunes es mi día libre.	Incorrect pluralization of “lunes”.
El Sabado voy a la fiesta.	El sábado voy a la fiesta.	“Sábado” is not capitalized unless it begins a sentence.

Practice Exercises

Test your knowledge of Spanish days of the week with these practice exercises. Each exercise focuses on different aspects of their usage.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct day of the week in Spanish.

Question	Answer
Mañana es __________.	martes
Ayer fue __________.	domingo
Después del __________ viene el martes.	lunes
Antes del __________ está el viernes.	domingo
El __________ es el primer día de la semana.	lunes
El __________ es el último día de la semana.	domingo
Voy al gimnasio los __________ y jueves.	martes
El __________ es mi día libre.	sábado o domingo
Tenemos clase de español los __________.	miércoles
El __________ por la noche salgo con mis amigos.	viernes

Exercise 2: Translation

Translate the following sentences into Spanish using the correct days of the week.

English	Spanish
I work on Mondays.	Trabajo los lunes.
She studies on Wednesdays.	Ella estudia los miércoles.
We go to the cinema on Saturdays.	Vamos al cine los sábados.
He rests on Sundays.	Él descansa los domingos.
The meeting is on Thursday.	La reunión es el jueves.
On Friday night, we eat pizza.	El viernes por la noche, comemos pizza.
I have a doctor’s appointment on Tuesday.	Tengo una cita con el médico el martes.
They play soccer on Wednesdays.	Juegan al fútbol los miércoles.
We visit our grandparents on Sundays.	Visitamos a nuestros abuelos los domingos.
She goes shopping on Saturdays.	Ella va de compras los sábados.

Exercise 3: Error Correction

Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences related to the days of the week.

Incorrect	Correct
En lunes tengo clase.	El lunes tengo clase.
Los domingo voy a la iglesia.	Los domingos voy a la iglesia.
El marteses es mi día libre.	El martes es mi día libre.
Los viernes yo salgo.	Los viernes salgo.
El Sabado voy al parque.	El sábado voy al parque.
En los miércoles estudio.	Los miércoles estudio.
El domingoes vamos a comer.	El domingo vamos a comer.
Los lunes es muy dificil.	Los lunes son muy difíciles.
El jueve tengo que trabajar.	El jueves tengo que trabajar.
Voy de compras en sabado.	Voy de compras el sábado.

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, understanding idioms and cultural significance related to the days of the week can enrich their understanding of the Spanish language and culture.

Idioms with Days of the Week

Spanish has idioms that incorporate the days of the week, adding depth and color to the language. Here are a few examples:

• Empezar la semana con el pie izquierdo: To start the week on the wrong foot (similar to the English idiom).
• De domingo a domingo: From Sunday to Sunday (meaning all the time, continuously).

Understanding these idioms requires not just knowing the literal meaning of the words but also grasping the cultural context in which they are used.

Cultural Significance

In Spanish-speaking countries, certain days of the week may have cultural significance. For example, Sunday is often a day for family gatherings and religious observances. Knowing these cultural nuances can help you better understand and appreciate the culture.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about Spanish days of the week:

1. Are the Spanish days of the week capitalized?
   No, they are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. The exception to this rule are the words “Sábado” and “Domingo”, which are always capitalized.
2. What is the gender of the Spanish days of the week?
   Most are masculine (el lunes, el martes, etc.). This affects the articles and adjectives used with them.
3. How do I say “on Mondays” in Spanish?
   You say “los lunes.”
4. Do I use a preposition before days of the week in Spanish?
   Generally, no. You use the definite article “el” or “los” instead.
5. How do I form the plural of “sábado” and “domingo”?
   The plural forms are “sábados” and “domingos,” respectively.
6. How do I say “every Monday” in Spanish?
   You can say “cada lunes” or “todos los lunes.”
7. What are the origins of the Spanish days of the week?
   They are derived from Latin, with names related to Roman gods and planets, except for sábado and domingo, which relate to the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day, respectively.
8. Is it correct to say “en el lunes”?
   No, it is incorrect. You should say “el lunes” without the preposition “en”.

Conclusion

Mastering the Spanish days of the week is a fundamental step in learning the language. By understanding their names, grammatical gender, usage rules, and common mistakes, you can communicate more effectively and confidently in Spanish. Remember to practice regularly and pay attention to the context in which these words are used.

Continue to explore advanced topics like idioms and cultural significance to further enhance your understanding. With consistent effort and attention to detail, you’ll be well on your way to mastering this essential aspect of Spanish grammar and vocabulary. Keep practicing and don’t be afraid to make mistakes—they are a natural part of the learning process!