Days of the Week in Portuguese — and Why They're Numbered
The seven days
| English | Portuguese (full) | Everyday short form |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | segunda-feira | segunda |
| Tuesday | terça-feira | terça |
| Wednesday | quarta-feira | quarta |
| Thursday | quinta-feira | quinta |
| Friday | sexta-feira | sexta |
| Saturday | sábado | sábado |
| Sunday | domingo | domingo |
Memory hooks for US learners
- segunda = "second" — Monday is the second day of the week when Sunday is the first.
- terça = related to "tertiary" (third).
- quarta = "quarter" or "quart" (fourth).
- quinta = "quintet" (fifth).
- sexta = "sixth", or think "sextet".
- sábado = Sabbath.
- domingo = from Latin dies dominicus, the Lord's day.
The little words you need with them
- na segunda — on Monday
- toda segunda — every Monday
- de segunda a sexta — from Monday to Friday
- no fim de semana — on the weekend
- hoje é sexta — today is Friday
- segunda que vem — this coming Monday
- na segunda passada — last Monday
Example sentences
- Que dia é hoje? — What day is it today?
- Hoje é terça-feira. — Today is Tuesday.
- Vejo você no domingo. — See you Sunday.
- Trabalho de segunda a sexta. — I work Monday to Friday.
- Sábado vou à praia. — Saturday I'm going to the beach.
- Toda quarta tenho aula de português. — Every Wednesday I have Portuguese class.
Practice this today
Say out loud what day it is, what day tomorrow is, and one thing you're doing this weekend. Do this every morning for a week and the days become automatic.
Frequently asked questions
Why are Portuguese weekdays numbered?
In the 6th century, a bishop in Portugal named Martin of Braga renamed the pagan planet-named days so Christians wouldn't invoke Roman gods. He used the liturgical week: Sunday was the first day of the Lord, so Monday became 'second market day' (segunda-feira), and so on. Portuguese is the only Romance language that kept his naming.
Are the days capitalized in Portuguese?
No. Weekdays and months are lowercase in Portuguese: 'Hoje é segunda-feira', not 'Segunda-feira'. Capitalize only at the start of a sentence.
Do Brazilians say 'segunda-feira' or just 'segunda'?
In everyday speech, Brazilians almost always drop 'feira'. You'll hear 'Vejo você na segunda' (See you Monday), 'Trabalho de segunda a sexta' (I work Monday through Friday). Say the full form in writing and formal contexts.
