Days of the Week in Greek

The days of the week in Modern Greek (οι ημέρες της εβδομάδας / oi iméres tis evdomádas) feature a unique naming system that differs from many other European languages. Most Greek weekday names have ecclesiastical origins rather than the planetary naming system common in Romance and Germanic languages.

Modern Greek weekday names primarily reflect ordinal numbering and Christian influence, with most days being named according to their position in the week. In Greek Orthodox tradition, the week begins with Sunday (Κυριακή / Kyriakí), the Lord's Day, though in secular contexts Monday is considered the first day of the week.

Understanding Greek day names offers fascinating insights into the country's religious history and cultural development. This guide will cover everything from pronunciation and etymology to cultural context and practical usage of Greek weekday names.

In Modern Greek, the days of the week are capitalized, unlike in some other European languages like Spanish or French. This reflects Greek's treatment of weekdays as proper nouns.

Examples of Correct Capitalization

• Correct: "Η Δευτέρα είναι η πρώτη μέρα της εβδομάδας." (Monday is the first day of the week.)
• Correct: "Κάθε Κυριακή πηγαίνω στην εκκλησία." (Every Sunday I go to church.)
• Incorrect: "Την δευτέρα έχω μάθημα." (Incorrect lowercase)

Are Days of the Week Capitalized in Greek?

Yes, days of the week in Greek are capitalized in all contexts. This follows the Greek orthographic convention that considers day names as proper nouns rather than common nouns.

Using Definite Articles

In Greek, days of the week are typically used with the feminine definite article "η" (singular) or "οι" (plural):

• "Η Δευτέρα είναι μέρα εργασίας." (Monday is a work day.)
• "Την Τετάρτη έχω ραντεβού." (On Wednesday I have an appointment.)
• "Τις Κυριακές πηγαίνω στην εκκλησία." (On Sundays I go to church.)

When indicating "on (a day)" Greek uses the accusative case with the appropriate article:

• English: "I'll see you on Tuesday."
• Greek: "Θα σε δω την Τρίτη."

Common Phrases with Days

• "Τι μέρα είναι σήμερα;" (What day is today?)
• "Σήμερα είναι Δευτέρα." (Today is Monday.)
• "Τι μέρα ήταν χθες;" (What day was yesterday?)
• "Τι μέρα θα είναι αύριο;" (What day will tomorrow be?)
• "Τη Δευτέρα το πρωί" (Monday morning)
• "Την Τρίτη το απόγευμα" (Tuesday afternoon)
• "Την Τετάρτη το βράδυ" (Wednesday evening)

Abbreviations

In calendars, schedules, and informal writing, Greek days of the week are sometimes abbreviated as follows:

• Δευ. - Δευτέρα
• Τρί. - Τρίτη
• Τετ. - Τετάρτη
• Πέμ. - Πέμπτη
• Παρ. - Παρασκευή
• Σάβ. - Σάββατο
• Κυρ. - Κυριακή

Greek day names have a fascinating origin that differs from most Western European languages. While many languages name weekdays after planets and Roman/Germanic gods, Modern Greek uses primarily ecclesiastical and ordinal numbering origins:

Modern Greek and Ancient Greek Origins

• Δευτέρα (Deftéra): From Ancient Greek "δευτέρα ἡμέρα" (deutéra hēméra) meaning "second day" - the second day after Sunday, which was considered the first day in Christian tradition.
• Τρίτη (Tríti): From Ancient Greek "τρίτη ἡμέρα" (trítē hēméra) meaning "third day."
• Τετάρτη (Tetárti): From Ancient Greek "τετάρτη ἡμέρα" (tetártē hēméra) meaning "fourth day."
• Πέμπτη (Pémpti): From Ancient Greek "πέμπτη ἡμέρα" (pémptē hēméra) meaning "fifth day."
• Παρασκευή (Paraskeví): From Ancient Greek "παρασκευή" (paraskeuḗ) meaning "preparation," referring to the day of preparation before the Sabbath in Jewish and Christian traditions.
• Σάββατο (Sávvato): From Ancient Greek "σάββατον" (sábbaton), derived from Hebrew "shabbat" (שַׁבָּת) meaning "rest" or "cessation of work."
• Κυριακή (Kyriakí): From Ancient Greek "κυριακή ἡμέρα" (kyriakḗ hēméra) meaning "Lord's day," reflecting Christian influence where Sunday is dedicated to the Lord (Κύριος / Kýrios).

Ancient Greek Planetary System

Before the Byzantine Christian influence, Ancient Greeks had a different, more planetary-aligned naming system, though it wasn't used as commonly as the Roman planetary system:

• ἡμέρα Ἡλίου (hēméra Hēlíou) - "day of the Sun" (Sunday)
• ἡμέρα Σελήνης (hēméra Selḗnēs) - "day of the Moon" (Monday)
• ἡμέρα Ἄρεως (hēméra Áreōs) - "day of Ares" (Tuesday)
• ἡμέρα Ἑρμοῦ (hēméra Hermoû) - "day of Hermes" (Wednesday)
• ἡμέρα Διός (hēméra Diós) - "day of Zeus" (Thursday)
• ἡμέρα Ἀφροδίτης (hēméra Aphrodítēs) - "day of Aphrodite" (Friday)
• ἡμέρα Κρόνου (hēméra Krónou) - "day of Kronos" (Saturday)

The current system of Greek day names was standardized during the Byzantine period, when ecclesiastical naming became dominant, replacing the older planetary associations.

The days of the week in Greek culture carry certain associations, traditions, and superstitions that reflect the country's rich heritage:

Religious Significance

With strong Orthodox Christian influences, several weekdays in Greece have special religious significance:

• Τετάρτη (Wednesday) and Παρασκευή (Friday) are traditionally fasting days in the Greek Orthodox Church, where believers may abstain from animal products.
• Κυριακή (Sunday) is considered the most important day for church attendance, with many Greeks still attending Sunday liturgy regularly.
• Σάββατο (Saturday) is associated with memorial services for the deceased (μνημόσυνα / mnimósina) in the Orthodox tradition.

Business and Social Customs

The Greek workweek and social calendar have some distinctive features:

• The standard workweek runs from Monday to Friday, though many businesses, especially retail shops, also operate on Saturdays.
• In smaller towns and on islands, many businesses still observe "μεσημεριανή διακοπή" (mesimeriní diakopí), a midday break when shops close for a few hours in the afternoon, especially during summer.
• Sunday remains a day for family gatherings, with extended family lunches being a common tradition.

Superstitions and Folk Beliefs

• Τρίτη και 13 (Tuesday the 13th) is considered unlucky in Greek tradition, similar to Friday the 13th in Western cultures. The association comes from the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire on Tuesday, May 29, 1453.
• Starting new ventures on Δευτέρα (Monday) is traditionally considered favorable, as it represents a fresh beginning.
• In some traditional communities, certain household tasks like laundry are avoided on specific days due to old superstitions.

Modern Usage

While many traditional associations remain, modern Greek society has adopted more international patterns of work and leisure:

• The concept of "Παρασκευοσαββατοκύριακο" (Paraskeviosavatokýriako) — Friday-Saturday-Sunday weekend — has become popular among urban Greeks, with Friday evenings marking the beginning of weekend socializing.
• As in many European countries, Thursday and Friday nights are popular for going out, especially among younger people.

Ordinal Number System

A key to remembering the first five days of the week in Greek is understanding their ordinal number pattern:

• Δευτέρα (Monday) - "second" (the second day after Sunday)
• Τρίτη (Tuesday) - "third" day
• Τετάρτη (Wednesday) - "fourth" day
• Πέμπτη (Thursday) - "fifth" day

If you learn the Greek ordinal numbers δεύτερος (second), τρίτος (third), τέταρτος (fourth), and πέμπτος (fifth), the weekday names will follow naturally.

Religious Connections

For the remaining days, focus on their religious origins:

• Παρασκευή (Friday) - Think "preparation" for the Sabbath
• Σάββατο (Saturday) - Similar to "Sabbath" in English
• Κυριακή (Sunday) - Related to "Kyrios" (Lord) - the Lord's Day

Greek Days of the Week Rhyme

A simple rhyme used by Greek children to learn the days:

Δευτέρα, Τρίτη, Τετάρτη, Πέμπτη, Παρασκευή,
Σάββατο, Κυριακή, η εβδομάδα μας αυτή.

(Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday, Sunday, this is our week.)