Days of the Week in Russian
Learning the days of the week in Russian (дни недели) is an excellent way to practice reading the Cyrillic alphabet. Unlike English or Romance languages, Russian days are not named after gods or planets; instead, they are mostly based on numbers and their position in the week.
Quick Answer Table
| English | Russian | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | понедельник | |
| Tuesday | вторник | |
| Wednesday | среда | |
| Thursday | четверг | |
| Friday | пятница | |
| Saturday | суббота | |
| Sunday | воскресенье |
Pronunciation Guide & Usage
Russian pronunciation relies heavily on word stress. Vowels in unstressed syllables are often reduced. For example, the "o" in понедельник (Monday) sounds more like an "a" or a schwa because the stress falls on the third syllable.
When talking about doing something on a specific day, Russian uses the preposition в (or во before certain consonant clusters like in Tuesday) followed by the accusative case. For masculine days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) and the neuter day (Sunday), the word doesn't change: в понедельник. For feminine days (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday), the ending changes from -а/-я to -у/-ю: в среду (on Wednesday).
Cultural Notes & Origins
The Russian naming convention for the days of the week is highly logical and numerical, counting from Monday:
- Понедельник (Monday): Literally means "the day after the week/no-work day".
- Вторник (Tuesday): From the word второй (second), meaning the second day.
- Среда (Wednesday): From the word середина (middle), as it is the middle of the work week.
- Четверг (Thursday): From the word четвёртый (fourth).
- Пятница (Friday): From the word пятый (fifth).
- Суббота (Saturday): Derived from the Hebrew word Sabbath.
- Воскресенье (Sunday): Means "Resurrection", referring to the Christian belief of Jesus's resurrection.
In Russia, the week officially starts on Monday. If you are wondering how many days in a week Russians work, the standard is a five-day work week, with Saturday and Sunday serving as the weekend (выходные).
Frequently Asked Questions
Are days of the week capitalized in Russian?
No, days of the week are written in lowercase in Russian unless they are the first word of a sentence.
What is the first day of the week in Russia?
In Russia, the calendar week officially begins on Monday (понедельник).
How do you say "on Monday" in Russian?
You use the preposition "в" (or "во" for Tuesday) plus the accusative case. So "on Monday" is "в понедельник" (v ponedelnik).
Are Russian days masculine or feminine?
They vary. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday are masculine. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday are feminine. Sunday is neuter.
Related Pages
Days of the Week in German
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Days of the Week in French
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Days of the Week in Spanish
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How Many Days in a Week?
Explore the origins of the 7-day week.