Days of the Week in Dutch
Learning the days of the week in Dutch (de dagen van de week) is a great starting point for anyone studying the language. Because Dutch is a Germanic language, English speakers will find many of these words quite familiar and relatively easy to memorize.
Quick Answer Table
| English | Dutch | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | maandag | |
| Tuesday | dinsdag | |
| Wednesday | woensdag | |
| Thursday | donderdag | |
| Friday | vrijdag | |
| Saturday | zaterdag | |
| Sunday | zondag |
Pronunciation Guide & Usage
Dutch pronunciation features some sounds that don't exist in English, most notably the hard "g" and "ch" sounds, which are pronounced from the back of the throat (similar to the Scottish "loch"). You will notice that every day of the week ends in -dag, which simply means "day". The "g" at the end of "dag" is pronounced with this guttural sound.
When using these days in a sentence, remember that they are not capitalized. To say "on Monday," you use the preposition "op": "op maandag". If you want to say you do something regularly on a specific day, you add an "s" to the end: "maandags" means "on Mondays" or "every Monday".
Cultural Notes & Origins
Like English and German, the Dutch days of the week are named after Germanic gods and celestial bodies:
- Maandag: Day of the Moon (Maan).
- Dinsdag: Named after Thingsus (Tyr), the god of assembly and war.
- Woensdag: Wodan's day (Odin), the chief Germanic god.
- Donderdag: Donar's day (Thor), the god of thunder.
- Vrijdag: Freya's day, the goddess of love and beauty.
- Zaterdag: Saturn's day, borrowed from the Roman god Saturn.
- Zondag: Day of the Sun (Zon).
In the Netherlands, the work week runs from maandag to vrijdag. The Dutch highly value their work-life balance, and it is very common for people to work four days a week instead of five. If you are wondering how many days in a week the average Dutch person works, part-time schedules are among the most prevalent in Europe!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are days of the week capitalized in Dutch?
No, days of the week are not capitalized in Dutch unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.
What is the first day of the week in the Netherlands?
In the Netherlands and Belgium, the calendar week officially begins on Monday (maandag).
How do you say "weekend" in Dutch?
The Dutch use the English loanword, so it is simply called "het weekend".
Are Dutch days masculine or feminine?
All days of the week in Dutch are common gender (de-words), so you use the article "de" (e.g., de maandag).
Related Pages
Days of the Week in German
Learn Montag, Dienstag, and more.
Days of the Week in French
Discover lundi, mardi, and more.
Days of the Week in Spanish
Master lunes, martes, and more.
How Many Days in a Week?
Explore the origins of the 7-day week.