Days of the Week in French With Examples and Pronunciation

Key Grammatical Rules for French Days of the Week

Using the days of the week correctly in French involves understanding a few crucial grammatical points.

A. Lowercase Usage

Unlike in English, the days of the week in French are always written with a lowercase first letter.

• C’est lundi aujourd’hui. – Today it’s Monday.
• Incorrect: C’est Lundi aujourd’hui.

B. Expressing “It Is [Day]”

To state what day it is, the common construction is c'est followed directly by the day of the week.

• C’est mardi. – It’s Tuesday.
• C’est dimanche. – It’s Sunday.

C. Using the Definite Article “Le”

This is a fundamental aspect of using days of the week in French. All days of the week are masculine nouns, which is why they are always preceded by the masculine definite article “le” when used in certain contexts.

1. For Habitual or Recurring Actions (“On [Day]s” / “Every [Day]”): When describing an event that happens regularly or habitually on a specific day of the week, use “le” before the day. This corresponds to “on [day]s” or “every [day]” in English.

   • Le lundi, je vais à la piscine. – On Mondays, I go to the swimming pool. (Every Monday)
   • Le samedi, nous dînons au restaurant. – On Saturdays, we dine at the restaurant. (Every Saturday)

2. For a Specific Future or Past Event (“On [Specific Day]”): When indicating that an event will take place or has taken place on a specific single day, you also use the definite article “le.”

   • Mon anniversaire est le jeudi. – My birthday is on Thursday. (Referring to this specific Thursday)
   • J’irai chez toi le mardi. – I will go to your house on Tuesday. (Referring to this specific Tuesday)
   • La fête était le samedi dernier. – The party was last Saturday.

Important Note: The definite article “le” is also commonly used with other general time expressions:

• Le matin – In the morning / Every morning
• Le soir – In the evening / Every evening
• Le week-end – On the weekend / Every weekend

Other Common Time Expressions

Examples in Context

Here are various sentences showcasing the days of the week and related time expressions in practical use:

• Mon anniversaire est le jeudi. – My birthday is on Thursday.
• Ce soir, nous regarderons le film. – Tonight we will watch the movie.
• C’est le dernier jour du printemps. – It’s the last day of spring.
• Dis-moi la date des vacances. – Tell me the date of the holidays.
• Il est minuit, j’ai sommeil. – It’s midnight, I’m sleepy.
• L’école commence le lundi 17 septembre 202X. – School starts on Monday, September 17, 202X.
• Mon jour préféré est le samedi. – My favorite day is Saturday.
• Nous allons voyager vendredi prochain. – We are going to travel next Friday.
• Je travaille du lundi au vendredi. – I work from Monday to Friday.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Being aware of these frequent errors will help you use the days of the week like a native speaker:

1. Capitalization: Always remember to use lowercase for the days of the week in French. Capitalizing them is a common beginner’s mistake influenced by English.
2. Omitting “Le”: For “on [day]s” or when referring to a specific day, remember to include the definite article “le.” Directly translating “on Monday” as “sur lundi” is incorrect.
3. Gender Confusion: Days of the week are always masculine. Do not use “la” or “les” in singular contexts (e.g., “la lundi” is incorrect).
4. Incorrect Prepositions: French uses “le” (or no preposition for “today,” “tomorrow”) where English uses “on.” Avoid literal translations like “sur lundi.”

Quiz and exercises

Here are some sample quiz questions and exercises for you to practice what you learned.

Quiz

1. What is the French word for “Sunday”?
2. How are the days of the week written in French?
3. Do the days of the week in French begin with a capital letter?
4. How do you say “It’s Wednesday” in French?
5. What definite article is used before the days of the week in French?

Exercise
Translate the following sentences from English to French, using the days of the week provided:

1. Today is Monday.
2. The meeting is on Thursday.
3. I have a class on Wednesday.
4. We’re going out on Saturday.
5. I don’t work on Sundays.

Answers
Quiz

1. “Dimanche”
2. The days of the week in French are: Lundi, Mardi, Mercredi, Jeudi, Vendredi, Samedi, and Dimanche.
3. No, the days of the week in French are written in lowercase.
4. “C’est mercredi.”
5. The definite article “Le” is used before the days of the week in French.

Exercise

1. Aujourd’hui, c’est lundi.
2. La réunion est le jeudi.
3. J’ai un cours le mercredi.
4. Nous sortons le samedi.
5. Je ne travaille pas le dimanche.