The Seven Days of the Week

What is a week?

The seven-day week, a unit of time consisting of 7 consecutive days, is a practical division of time. It effectively divides the month into manageable periods and is the standard period used in calendars, aiding in planning and organization.

What are the weekdays?

Weekdays are the days of the week that are typically considered working days. In general, there are five weekdays, or workdays, and these are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

When is the weekend?

The weekend, which includes Saturday and Sunday, is a much-needed break from the typical workweek. It is a time for relaxation, leisure, and rejuvenation, balancing the weekdays.

How many weekends are in a year?

What are the abbreviations of the days of the week?

The abbreviations of the days of the week are:

1. Mon (Monday)
2. Tue (Tuesday)
3. Wed (Wednesday)
4. Thu (Thursday)
5. Fri (Friday)
6. Sat (Saturday)
7. Sun (Sunday).

What is the first day of the week?

The first day of the week is debated and can differ according to the culture and calendar used. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) calendar considers Monday the first day of the week.
However, in some calendars, such as the US calendar, Sunday is the first day of the week.

Learn more about the first day of the week.

Where do the names of the seven weekdays come from?

The names of the seven days of the week come from ancient Roman and Germanic cultures. They are named after the seven visible celestial bodies known to the ancient Romans.

The Greeks named the days of the week after the Sun, Moon, and five known planets, each named after a god: Ares, Hermes, Zeus, Aphrodite, and Cronus. The Greeks referred to the days of the week as Theon hemerai, or "days of the Gods". Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn were the Roman gods who replaced the Greek gods. The Germanic people often substituted nearly identical gods for the Roman gods, Tiu, Woden, Thor, and Freya (Fria), but did not replace Saturn.

What is the origin of 7 days?

The origin of the seven-day week is not certain, but it is believed to have originated from the ancient Babylonians, who used a sexagesimal (base-60) system for mathematics and timekeeping. The seven-day week may have been influenced by the seven visible celestial bodies known to the ancient Babylonians.

What is the order of the 7 days of the week?

If we consider the ISO start of the week, then the order of the seven days of the week is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Otherwise, if we consider the US standard, then the order will be Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

How many weeks are in a year?

Because we have both common and leap years, the number of weeks a year is not the same. In this sense, there are:

• 52 weeks + 1 day in a common years
• 52 weeks + 2 days in leap years

Learn more

Common vocabulary words around the days of the week:

If you're new to time words and want to expand your vocabulary, here are some common words you need to know:

• Day: A time unit of 24 hours that has a morning, an afternoon and an evening.
• Daily: happening or done every day
• Weekly: happening or done every week
• Weekend: the period of time that includes Saturday and Sunday
• Weekday: any day of the week except Saturday and Sunday
• Morning: the time of day from sunrise to noon
• Afternoon: the time of day from noon to sunset
• Evening: the time of day from sunset to bedtime
• Night: the time of day from bedtime to sunrise.
• AM and PM: a time convention distinguishing between the two 12-hour daily periods: before midday and after midday.

The seven days of the week in various languages:

When you want to expand your familiarity with the days of the week, you might want to work in French, Spanish, or German.

What is one week in various units:

• 7 days
• 168 hours
• 10,080 minutes
• 604,800 seconds

Related: Days to hours convertor.

Trivia bullets about each day of the week

Monday:

• In Japan, Monday is considered the best day to start a new business or project, as it's believed to bring good luck.
• The term "Monday blues" was first used in the 1950s to describe the dread and anxiety many people experience at the start of the workweek.
• In some African cultures, Monday is considered a day of spiritual renewal and is often marked with rituals and ceremonies to cleanse and purify the body and mind.

Tuesday:

• Tuesday is the most common day for elections in the United States, with over 70% of presidential elections occurring on a Tuesday.
• The phrase "Tuesday's child is full of grace" comes from a traditional English nursery rhyme describing the characteristics of children born on different days.
• In many Latin American countries, Tuesday is considered a day of good luck and is often associated with the Catholic feast day of Saint Anthony of Padua.

Wednesday:

• The word "Wednesday" is the only day of the week that is not named after a celestial body or a deity, but rather after a Norse god's name, Woden.
• In some parts of the world, Wednesday is considered a day of neutrality, as it falls exactly in the middle of the week and is neither part of the beginning nor the end.
• The phrase "Wednesday's child is full of woe" comes from the same traditional English nursery rhyme that describes the characteristics of children born on different days of the week.

Thursday:

• Thursday is the most popular day for weddings in the United States, with over 20% of weddings occurring on this day.
• In many Scandinavian countries, Thursday is considered a day of Thor, the Norse god of thunder, and is often associated with thunderstorms and bad weather.
• The phrase "Thursday's child has far to go" comes from the same traditional English nursery rhyme that describes the characteristics of children born on different days of the week.

Friday:

• Friday is the most popular day for movie releases in the United States, with over 70% of movies premiering on this day.
• In many cultures, Friday is considered a day of good luck and is often associated with the Catholic feast day of Saint Joseph.
• The phrase "TGIF" ("Thank Goodness It's Friday") was first used in the 1960s to describe the relief and excitement that come with the end of the workweek.

Saturday:

• Saturday is the most popular day for sports events in the United States, with over 50% of sports games taking place on this day.
• In many cultures, Saturday is considered a day of rest and relaxation and is often associated with leisure activities and entertainment.
• The phrase "Saturday night fever" was popularized in the 1970s to describe the excitement and energy of going out on a Saturday night.

Sunday:

• Sunday is the most popular day for brunch in the United States, with over 70% of restaurants serving brunch on this day.
• In many cultures, Sunday is considered a day of worship and is often associated with church services and other spiritual activities.
• The phrase "Sunday Funday" was popularized in the 2010s to describe the idea of making the most of one's free time on Sunday by doing something fun and relaxing.

Key Takeaways:

• The seven-day week is a practical division of time and aids in planning and organization.
• Weekdays are typically considered working days, while the weekend provides a much-needed break for relaxation and leisure.
• The first day of the week varies depending on the culture and calendar being used.
• The names of the seven days of the week come from ancient Roman and Germanic cultures, and they are linked to celestial bodies and deities.
• The seven-day week is believed to have originated from the ancient Babylonians.