The Italian days of the week are lunedì, martedì, mercoledì, giovedì, venerdì, sabato, and domenica. Monday is usually considered the first day of the week. The first five names have a written accent on their final ì, which also marks the stressed syllable. Italian weekday names are written in lowercase.
Quick answer:
Monday is lunedì, Tuesday martedì, Wednesday mercoledì, Thursday giovedì, Friday venerdì, Saturday sabato, and Sunday domenica.
The seven days in Italian
- lunedì — Monday
- martedì — Tuesday
- mercoledì — Wednesday
- giovedì — Thursday
- venerdì — Friday
- sabato — Saturday
- domenica — Sunday
Unlike English, Italian normally does not capitalize weekday names. Their plural forms generally keep the same spelling: il lunedì is “Monday,” while i lunedì means “Mondays.” The article and sentence context indicate whether the word refers to one day or a recurring day.
Pronunciation tips
The accent in the first five names signals final stress: lunedì (loo-neh-DEE), martedì (mahr-teh-DEE), mercoledì (mehr-koh-leh-DEE), giovedì (joh-veh-DEE), and venerdì (veh-nehr-DEE). The final vowel is clear and sustained rather than reduced. In sabato, stress the first syllable (SAH-bah-toh); in domenica, stress the middle syllable (doh-MEH-nee-kah).
The first five names are easy to recognize as a group because of their final stressed -dì. Practice them slowly first, then say the full seven-day sequence at a steady pace. Italian pronunciation follows spelling fairly regularly, so paying attention to the written accent helps you place the stress correctly.
Using days in sentences
Use Oggi è… (“Today is…”) to name the current day: Oggi è mercoledì means “Today is Wednesday.” To ask what day it is, say Che giorno è oggi? For a one-time plan, the weekday often appears without a preposition: Parto lunedì (“I’m leaving on Monday”) or Ci vediamo venerdì (“See you on Friday”).
Use the definite article to describe a repeated routine: Il lunedì lavoro da casa means “I work from home on Mondays.” With an activity that happens every Tuesday, you can say Il martedì faccio una passeggiata. The article helps signal that you mean a regular habit, rather than one particular date.
For “this Saturday” and “next Sunday,” use questo sabato and domenica prossima. Exact usage can depend on the surrounding context, so include a date or time phrase if there could be confusion.
Example sentences
- La riunione è martedì. — The meeting is on Tuesday.
- Il venerdì ceniamo insieme. — We have dinner together on Fridays.
- Sabato visito Firenze. — I’m visiting Florence on Saturday.
- Domenica i negozi sono chiusi. — Shops are closed on Sunday.
- Che giorno è oggi? — What day is it today?
- Ci sentiamo giovedì mattina. — We’ll talk on Thursday morning.
- Il mercoledì studio italiano. — I study Italian on Wednesdays.
Notice that a specific day in a plan usually stands alone, while a repeated weekly habit often uses il. In real conversation, the verb tense and context make the timing clear: lavoro lunedì can mean “I’m working on Monday,” whereas il lunedì lavoro describes a recurring schedule.
Calendar and time vocabulary
La settimana means “the week,” il giorno means “the day,” and il calendario means “the calendar.” You can ask Quando? (“When?”) or Che giorno? (“Which day?”). To clarify a time of day, add mattina (“morning”), pomeriggio (“afternoon”), or sera (“evening”): lunedì mattina means “Monday morning.”
For a date, pair the day name with the number and month: venerdì 12 aprile means “Friday, April 12.” Italian puts the day before the month, and month names are also normally lowercase. If you are arranging a meeting, Quale giorno ti va bene? asks “Which day works for you?”
Weekdays and weekends
I giorni feriali are weekdays or working days; depending on context, the term may refer to Monday through Friday. Il fine settimana is “the weekend.” Italians may also use the borrowed word weekend in everyday conversation. Sabato and domenica are the weekend days, though opening hours and work schedules vary by place.
Useful questions include Che programmi hai per il fine settimana? (“What plans do you have for the weekend?”) and Sei libero sabato? (“Are you free on Saturday?” addressed to a man) or Sei libera sabato? (addressed to a woman). If speaking to several people, use Siete liberi sabato? or Siete libere sabato?.
How to remember the names
Learn the days in two small groups. First repeat the five names ending in stressed -dì, then add sabato and domenica. Link each word to a weekly activity: lunedì for work or study, venerdì for a plan, and domenica for a relaxed day. Making short sentences helps you remember both the vocabulary and how the words fit into Italian grammar.
Write each day once with its accent, cover the English translation, and try to recall the sequence. Then practice changing a one-time plan into a routine: Parto lunedì (“I leave Monday”) versus Il lunedì parto presto (“On Mondays I leave early”). A little spaced review over several days is more effective than repeating the list only once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tap a question below to see the answer.
Do you capitalize days of the week in Italian?
No. Weekday names are normally lowercase, except at the beginning of a sentence or in a title.
What is the first day of the week in Italy?
Monday, lunedì, is generally treated as the first day of the week in Italian calendars.
How do you say “on Monday” in Italian?
For a particular Monday, you can simply use lunedì: Ci vediamo lunedì means “See you on Monday.”
How do you say “every Monday”?
Use ogni lunedì or il lunedì. For example, Studio italiano ogni lunedì means “I study Italian every Monday.”
Which days have an accent mark?
Lunedì, martedì, mercoledì, giovedì, and venerdì have a final accent. Sabato and domenica do not.
Summary
The Italian days are lunedì, martedì, mercoledì, giovedì, venerdì, sabato, and domenica. Keep them lowercase, remember the final stress and accent in the first five, and use the article il when describing a weekly routine.
