{"id":2680,"date":"2018-11-19T18:09:44","date_gmt":"2018-11-19T18:09:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/?p=2680"},"modified":"2018-11-19T22:02:51","modified_gmt":"2018-11-19T22:02:51","slug":"portuguese-days-of-the-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/portuguese-days-of-the-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Deciphering Days of the Week in Portuguese"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s difficult to communicate much with people in countries such as Portugal and Brazil if you don\u2019t know the words for the days of the week (dias da semana<\/em>) in Portuguese. Whether you are hoping to meet (encontrar<\/em>) people, buy tickets (ingressos<\/em>) for a party or find out what day the of carnival you are going to attend, you will need to know how to understand (entender<\/em>) and talk (falar<\/em>) about the days of the week in Portuguese.<\/p>\n

It might be that you need to tell someone about a meeting or understand a sign telling you when a shop\u2019s open (aberto<\/em>) or closed (fechado<\/em>). Whatever the case, knowing the days of the week in Portuguese is very important.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A Bit of History<\/h2>\n

If you know other Romance languages like French<\/a> or Spanish<\/a>, you might think that the Portuguese days of the week would be similar. But just when you thought that things would be easy, I’ve got some bad news for you.<\/p>\n

The Romance languages are generally based on Latin (from Rome) and their days of the week are based on God\u2019s relation to the stars:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Latin<\/strong><\/td>\nSpanish<\/strong><\/td>\nEnglish<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Solis di\u0113s<\/td>\nDomingo<\/td>\nSunday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lunae di\u0113s<\/td>\nLunes<\/td>\nMonday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Martis di\u0113s<\/td>\nMartes<\/td>\nTuesday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mercurii di\u0113s<\/td>\nMi\u00e9rcoles<\/td>\nWednesday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jovies di\u0113s<\/td>\nJueves<\/td>\nThursday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Veneris di\u0113s<\/td>\nViernes<\/td>\nFriday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Saturni di\u0113s<\/td>\nS\u00e1bado<\/td>\nSaturday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

However, the story with the days of the week in Portuguese is different.<\/p>\n

Portuguese uses what\u2019s called Liturgic Latin <\/strong>for the days of the week. This stems from the 15th<\/sup> century, when priest Martinho de Dume, from Braga, Portugal, established the names of the days of the week based on Christian\u2014and not Pagan\u2014names. These names then stuck, and the names based on Liturgic Latin became the norm in Portuguese.<\/p>\n

Days of the Week in Portuguese<\/h2>\n

The days of the week in Portuguese, therefore, are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
English<\/strong><\/td>\nLiturgic Latin<\/strong><\/td>\nPortuguese<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sunday<\/td>\nDi\u0113s dominica<\/td>\nDomingo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Monday<\/td>\nFeria secunda<\/td>\nSegunda-feira<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tuesday<\/td>\nFeria tertia<\/td>\nTer\u00e7a-feira<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wednesday<\/td>\nFeria quarta<\/td>\nQuarta-feira<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Thursday<\/td>\nFeria quinta<\/td>\nQuinta-feira<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Friday<\/td>\nFeria sexta<\/td>\nSexta-feira<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Saturday<\/td>\nSabbatum<\/td>\nS\u00e1bado<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The word feira<\/em> means fair<\/strong> and refers to rest days (dias de descanso<\/em>) because in the Holy Week, the \u201cweek days\u201d (Monday to Friday) were rest days, while Saturday (S\u00e1bado<\/em>) and Sunday (Domingo<\/em>) were Holy Days.<\/p>\n

Unlike in English, in Portuguese we do not use capital letters at the beginning of each day name.<\/p>\n

So, some examples would be:<\/p>\n

Hoje \u00e9 sexta-feira<\/strong>. (Today is <\/em>Friday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
\nAmanh\u00e3 \u00e9 domingo<\/strong>. (Tomorrow is <\/em>Sunday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
\nOntem foi quarta-feira<\/strong>. (Yesterday was<\/em> Wednesday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

All the -feira<\/em> days are feminine, so we use a<\/em><\/strong>, whereas s\u00e1bado <\/em>and domingo<\/em> are masculine and thus accompanied by\u00a0o<\/em><\/strong>. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n

Estamos abertos na segunda-feira<\/strong>.\u00a0(We are open on <\/em>Monday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
\nEla vem no s\u00e1bado<\/strong>. (She is coming on <\/em>Saturday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
\nVamos encontrar na ter\u00e7a-feira<\/strong>. (We will meet on <\/em>Tuesday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

A Bit of a Mouthful<\/h2>\n

For a lot of people saying the whole day name can be a bit of a mouthful, so often (mainly in conversational Portuguese) the -feira <\/em>days are shortened to just the first half. S\u00e1bado <\/em>and domingo<\/em>, however, remain the same.<\/p>\n

So, we might say:<\/p>\n

Ele saiu na quinta<\/strong>. (He left on <\/em>Thursday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
\n\u00c9 meu anivers\u00e1rio na sexta<\/strong>. (It\u2019s my birthday on <\/em>Friday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
\nEu come\u00e7o na segunda<\/strong>. (I start on <\/em>Monday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
\nDomingo<\/strong> \u00e9 meu dia de folga. (Sunday<\/em><\/strong> is my day off.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Another way of abbreviating the days of the week in written Portuguese is by using numbers. Here’s how it works:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Dom.<\/td>\nDomingo<\/td>\nSunday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2\u1d43<\/td>\nSegunda-feira<\/td>\nMonday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3\u1d43<\/td>\nTer\u00e7a-feira<\/td>\nTuesday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4\u1d43<\/td>\nQuarta-feira<\/td>\nWednesday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5\u1d43<\/td>\nQuinta-feira<\/td>\nThursday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6\u1d43<\/td>\nSexta-feira<\/td>\nFriday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sab.<\/td>\nS\u00e1bado<\/td>\nSaturday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

You might see a sign saying:<\/p>\n

\u201cAberto de 2\u1d43 <\/strong>a 6\u1d43 <\/strong>das 8.00 \u00e0s 18.00\u201d (Open <\/em>Monday<\/em><\/strong> to <\/em>Friday<\/em><\/strong> from 8am \u2013 6pm<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Or also:<\/p>\n

\u201cDe f\u00e9rias de 6\u1d43<\/strong> a 2\u1d43<\/strong>\u201d (On holiday from <\/em>Friday<\/em><\/strong> to <\/em>Monday<\/em><\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure that you don’t confuse this with the \u00b0 <\/strong>sign, which means -th<\/em>. For example:<\/p>\n

3\u00b0 <\/strong>is the 3rd<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

But:<\/p>\n

3\u1d43<\/strong> is Tuesday<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Using Portuguese Days of the Week in a Sentence<\/h2>\n

On\u2026<\/h3>\n

In English, the majority of the time, when we are talking about the days of the week, we use it with the word on<\/strong>. In Portuguese, we use no <\/strong>or na<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The words no<\/strong> and na<\/strong> come from the preposition, em<\/strong>. When em <\/strong>is combined with a <\/strong>or o<\/strong>, it becomes na <\/strong>or no <\/strong>(or nas <\/strong>or nos <\/strong>for plurals).<\/p>\n

    \n
  • em + a = na<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • em + o = no<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • em + as = nas<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • em + os = nos<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Some examples would be:<\/p>\n

    Eu vou ao banco na segunda-feira<\/strong>. (I\u2019ll go to the bank <\/em>on Monday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEla vai v\u00ea-lo no s\u00e1bado<\/strong>. (She\u2019ll see him<\/em> on Saturday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEles est\u00e3o abertos todas as ter\u00e7as-feiras<\/strong>. (They are open <\/em>on Tuesdays<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEst\u00e3o fechados todos os domingos<\/strong>. (They are closed <\/em>on Sundays<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    By…<\/h3>\n

    Sometimes we want to say that something should happen\u00a0by<\/strong> a certain day of the week. In this case, we still use na<\/strong> or no<\/strong>, but change the tense at the beginning of the phrase. So:<\/p>\n

    Isso ser\u00e1<\/strong> feito na ter\u00e7a-feira<\/strong>. (It\u2019ll<\/em><\/strong> be done <\/em>by Tuesday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEla estar\u00e1<\/strong> l\u00e1 na sexta-feira<\/strong>. (She\u2019ll<\/em><\/strong> be there <\/em>by Friday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEu quero isso no domingo<\/strong>. (I want this <\/em>by Sunday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Before…<\/h3>\n

    If we want to talk about something happening\u00a0before<\/strong>\u00a0a given day, we use the words antes de<\/strong><\/em>. So we would say:<\/p>\n

    Vamos envi\u00e1-lo antes de quarta-feira<\/strong>. (We\u2019ll send it <\/em>before Wednesday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEstar\u00e1 pronto antes de s\u00e1bado<\/strong>. (It\u2019ll be ready <\/em>before Saturday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEle precisa deles antes de ter\u00e7a-feira<\/strong>. (He needs them <\/em>before Tuesday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Until…<\/h3>\n

    When we use the word until <\/strong>in English, in Portuguese we would use at\u00e9<\/em><\/strong>, so:<\/p>\n

    N\u00f3s estaremos aqui at\u00e9 sexta-feira<\/strong>. (We\u2019ll be here <\/em>until Friday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nVoc\u00ea tem at\u00e9 segunda<\/strong> para tomar uma decis\u00e3o. (You have <\/em>until Monday<\/em><\/strong> to make a decision.<\/em>)
    \nVoc\u00ea pode t\u00ea-lo at\u00e9 quarta-feira<\/strong>. (You can have it <\/em>until Wednesday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    After…<\/h3>\n

    If you want to talk about something after <\/strong>a certain day, you would use depois de<\/em><\/strong>. Some examples here are:<\/p>\n

    Voc\u00ea pode t\u00ea-lo depois da ter\u00e7a-feira<\/strong>. (You can have it <\/em>after Tuesday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEu estarei pronto depois da quinta<\/strong>. (I\u2019ll be ready <\/em>after Thursday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nVoc\u00ea pode esperar at\u00e9 depois do domingo<\/strong>? (Can you wait until <\/em>after Sunday<\/em><\/strong>?<\/em><\/p>\n

    Since…<\/h3>\n

    In situations where we would use the word since<\/strong>, desde <\/em><\/strong>is used in Portuguese. For example:<\/p>\n

    Eu estou pronto desde segunda-feira<\/strong>. (I\u2019ve been ready <\/em>since Monday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nFaz sol desde sexta-feira<\/strong>. (It\u2019s been sunny <\/em>since Friday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEle est\u00e1 doente desde s\u00e1bado<\/strong>.(He\u2019s been ill <\/em>since Saturday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Next and Last…<\/h3>\n

    When you want to talk about the next <\/strong>or the last <\/strong>day of the week, in Portuguese you would use no(a) proximo(a) <\/em><\/strong>or que vem <\/em><\/strong>and \u00faltimo(a)<\/em><\/strong> or passado(a)<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/em>For example:<\/p>\n

    Voc\u00ea precisa pagar na pr\u00f3xima segunda-feira<\/strong>.(You need to pay <\/em>next Monday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEu vou visit\u00e1-lo na quarta que vem<\/strong>. (I\u2019m going to visit him <\/em>next Wednesday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEla vai v\u00ea-lo <\/span>no pr\u00f3ximo domingo<\/strong>. (<\/span>She\u2019s going to see him <\/em>next Sunday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \n<\/span>Precisamos fazer isso no s\u00e1bado que vem<\/strong>. (We need to do it <\/em>next Saturday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEle vem na \u00faltima sexta feira<\/strong> do m\u00eas. (He comes on the <\/em>last Friday<\/em><\/strong> of the month.<\/em>)
    \nEu vi ele na segunda passada<\/strong>. (I saw him <\/em>last Monday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nNosso \u00faltimo s\u00e1bado<\/strong> juntos. (Our <\/em>last Saturday<\/em><\/strong> together.<\/em>)
    \nN\u00f3s jogamos no domingo passado<\/strong>. (We played <\/em>last Sunday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Other Useful Day Words<\/h2>\n

    Sometimes (as vezes<\/em>) when we talk about days of the week, there are other words which are useful to know. They can help us talk about specific days without saying the actual day of the week.<\/p>\n

    Today \u2013 Hoje<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Hoje<\/strong> \u00e9 segunda<\/strong>. (Today <\/em><\/strong>is <\/em>Monday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nHoje <\/strong>\u00e9 s\u00e1bado<\/strong>. (Today <\/em><\/strong>is <\/em>Saturday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Tomorrow \u2013 Amanh\u00e3<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Amanh\u00e3 <\/strong>\u00e9 Ter\u00e7a<\/strong>. (Tomorrow <\/em><\/strong>is<\/em> Tuesday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \n<\/strong>Amanh\u00e3 <\/strong>ser\u00e1 domingo<\/strong>. (Tomorrow <\/em><\/strong>will be<\/em> Sunday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Yesterday \u2013 Ontem<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Ontem <\/strong>foi sexta-feira<\/strong>. (Yesterday<\/em><\/strong> was <\/em>Friday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nOntem<\/strong> foi domingo<\/strong>. (Yesterday<\/em><\/strong> was <\/em>Sunday<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    The week \u2013 A semana<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Foi uma semana<\/strong> dif\u00edcil. (It was a difficult <\/em>week.<\/em><\/strong>)
    \nEsta semana<\/strong> eu vou come\u00e7ar as aulas. (This week<\/em><\/strong> I\u2019m going to start lessons.<\/em>)
    \nEle me ligou 20 vezes na \u00faltima semana<\/strong>.(He called me 20 times<\/em>\u00a0last week<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEu comprei na semana passada<\/strong>. (I bought it<\/em> last week<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nVai ser melhor na pr\u00f3xima semana<\/strong>. (It will be better\u00a0<\/em>next week<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nVamos tocar na semana que vem<\/strong>.\u00a0(We will play (music) <\/em>next week<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nDuas semanas<\/strong> (Two <\/em>weeks<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n

    The weekend \u2013 O fim de semana<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Eu n\u00e3o vejo a hora at\u00e9 o fim de semana<\/strong>. (I can\u2019t wait until <\/em>the weekend<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEste fim de semana<\/strong> eu vou dormir. (This weekend<\/em><\/strong> I am going to sleep.<\/em>)
    \nEu sa\u00ed duas vezes no \u00faltimo fim de semana<\/strong>. (I went out twice <\/em>last weekend<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nNos conhecemos no fim de semana passado<\/strong>. (We met <\/em>last weekend<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \n\u00c9 o anivers\u00e1rio dele no pr\u00f3ximo fim de semana<\/strong>. (It\u2019s his birthday <\/em>next weekend<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nEu estou trabalhando no fim de semana que vem<\/strong>. (I am working <\/em>next weekend<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    The day after tomorrow\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/span>Depois de amanh\u00e3<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

    N\u00f3s chegaremos depois de amanh\u00e3<\/strong>. (We\u2019ll arrive <\/em>the day after tomorrow<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)
    \nVai estar pronto depois de amanh\u00e3<\/strong>. (It\u2019ll be ready <\/em>the day after tomorrow<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Other related words<\/h3>\n
      \n
    • Month \u2013 m\u00eas<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Year \u2013 ano<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Day off \u2013 dia de folga<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • New Years Day \u2013 Ano novo<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Ash Wednesday – Quarta-feira de Cinzas<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Holy week \u2013 Semana Santa<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Good Friday \u2013\u00a0a sexta-feira da Paix\u00e3o<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Easter Day \u2013\u00a0dia de P\u00e1scoa<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Halloween \u2013\u00a0dia das Bruxas<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Christmas Eve \u2013\u00a0v\u00e9spera de Natal<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Christmas Day \u2013\u00a0dia de Natal<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Boxing Day \u2013 dia 26 de dezembro<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • New Years Eve \u2013\u00a0v\u00e9spera de Ano Novo<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      So there you have it \u2013 now you know how to say the days of the week in Portuguese (and more)!<\/p>\n

      At\u00e9 a pr\u00f3xima!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      Challenge yourself with Clozemaster<\/h2>\n

      Test your skills and see what you\u2019ve learned from this article by playing a selection of sentences with various ways to say \u201cthank you\u201d in Portuguese.<\/strong><\/p>\n