Learning the days of the week is one of the first steps in mastering French. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about les jours de la semaine (the days of the week in French), including their meanings, proper pronunciation, and cultural significance.

Days of the Week in French

Here are the 7 days of the week in French:

Days of the Week in French Meaning​

Each Days of the week in French Meaning​ has fascinating historical roots:

1. Lundi – From Latin “Lunae dies” (Day of the Moon)
2. Mardi – From Latin “Martis dies” (Day of Mars)
3. Mercredi – From Latin “Mercurii dies” (Day of Mercury)
4. Jeudi – From Latin “Jovis dies” (Day of Jupiter)
5. Vendredi – From Latin “Veneris dies” (Day of Venus)
6. Samedi – From Latin “Sabbati dies” (Sabbath day)
7. Dimanche – From Latin “Dominicus dies” (Lord’s day)

Days of the Week in French Pronunciation

Mastering Days of the Week in French Pronunciation is easier with these tips:

• Lundi: “luhn-DEE” (like “lunatic” without the “tic”)
• Mardi: “mar-DEE” (rhymes with “party”)
• Mercredi: “mehr-kruh-DEE” (stress the last syllable)
• Jeudi: “zhuh-DEE” (soft “j” like in “measure”)
• Vendredi: “vahn-druh-DEE” (the “en” sounds like “on”)
• Samedi: “sahm-DEE” (like “psalm” + “DEE”)
• Dimanche: “dee-MAHNSH” (ends with a soft “sh”)

Pro Tip: The stress always falls on the last syllable in French weekday names.

Important Grammar Rules

1. No Capitalization: Unlike English, French days are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence.
   • Correct: “Je vais au parc lundi.”
   • Incorrect: “Je vais au parc Lundi.”
2. Articles with Days:
   • Use “le” for habitual actions: “Je fais du sport le lundi.” (I exercise on Mondays)
   • No article for specific dates: “Je pars lundi.” (I’m leaving Monday)
3. Plural Forms: Add “-s” to make days plural:
   • “Les lundis” (Mondays)
   • “Les dimanches” (Sundays)

Cultural Notes

• The French week begins on Lundi (Monday), not Sunday
• Samedi et dimanche are the weekend days
• Many shops are closed on Sundays (except in tourist areas)
• Mercredi is a common half-day for school children

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Capitalizing days (correct: “mardi”, not “Mardi”)
❌ Forgetting the “le” for habitual actions
❌ Mispronouncing “Jeudi” (it’s “zhuh-DEE”, not “joo-DEE”)
❌ Starting the week on Sunday (French calendars begin with Monday)

Practice Exercise

Translate these sentences to French:

1. “I work on Fridays.” → Je travaille le vendredi.
2. “See you on Tuesday!” → À mardi!
3. “Sunday is my favorite day.” → Dimanche est mon jour préféré.

Conclusion

Now you’ve mastered the 7 days of the week in French! Remember:

• No capitalization
• Stress the last syllable
• Use “le” for recurring events
• Practice daily to improve pronunciation