Days of the Week in Swedish

Learn veckodagar (weekdays) in Swedish with pronunciation guides, etymology information, and cultural insights.

Complete Guide to Swedish Days of the Week

The days of the week in Swedish (veckodagar) beautifully preserve their ancient Norse mythology origins. Like other Nordic and Germanic languages, Swedish weekday names are primarily derived from Old Norse deities and celestial bodies, offering a fascinating glimpse into Scandinavian heritage.

In Swedish, unlike English but similar to some other European languages, days of the week are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence. This grammatical convention applies to all days, months, and similar time-related terms in the Swedish language.

This comprehensive guide explores everything you need to know about Swedish weekday names, from their pronunciation and etymological origins to their cultural significance and practical usage in modern Sweden.

The Seven Days of the Week in Swedish

English Day Swedish Day Pronunciation Listen
Monday Måndag MON-dag
Tuesday Tisdag TEES-dag
Wednesday Onsdag ONS-dag
Thursday Torsdag TORS-dag
Friday Fredag FRAY-dag
Saturday Lördag LER-dag
Sunday Söndag SEN-dag

Pronunciation Notes

Swedish has some unique sounds that can be challenging for English speakers:

  • The letter "å" in "Måndag" is pronounced similar to the "o" in "more"
  • The letter "ö" in "Lördag" and "Söndag" is pronounced similar to the "i" in "bird"
  • The "g" at the end of each day is often softened, almost as a light "y" sound in some dialects

Download Audio Pronunciation Guide

Download the complete audio pack to practice your Swedish days of the week pronunciation offline or use in a classroom setting:

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Capitalization Rules for Days in Swedish

Unlike English, days of the week in Swedish are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence. This is consistent with Swedish grammatical rules that only require capitalization for proper nouns like names of people and places, but not for calendar terms.

Examples of Correct Capitalization

  • Correct: "Jag har ett möte på måndag." (I have a meeting on Monday.)
  • Correct: "Måndag är veckans första dag." (Monday is the first day of the week.)
  • Incorrect: "Jag har ett möte på Måndag." (Incorrect capitalization)

Are Days of the Week Capitalized in Swedish?

No, days of the week in Swedish are not capitalized when used in the middle of a sentence. They are only capitalized when they begin a sentence, following standard Swedish grammar rules.

Note for English Speakers

This differs from English, where days of the week are always capitalized because they're considered proper nouns. In Swedish, days of the week are treated as common nouns and thus follow the same rules as other common nouns, remaining lowercase in most contexts.

Etymology of Swedish Days of the Week

Swedish days of the week have rich etymological origins deeply rooted in Norse mythology and celestial bodies:

Origins and Meanings

  • Måndag: From "måne" (moon) + "dag" (day) = "Moon's day"
  • Tisdag: Named after the Norse god Tyr (Tis), the god of war and justice
  • Onsdag: Named after the chief Norse god Odin (Oden), known as the Allfather in Norse mythology
  • Torsdag: Named after Thor (Tor), the Norse god of thunder and strength
  • Fredag: Named after the Norse goddess Freya (or Frigg), goddess of love, fertility, and beauty
  • Lördag: From Old Norse "laugardagr" meaning "washing day" or "bath day" - a tradition when Saturday was dedicated to bathing and washing
  • Söndag: From "sol" (sun) + "dag" (day) = "Sun's day"

Norse Gods in Swedish Weekdays

Four of the seven Swedish weekday names honor Norse deities, reflecting the deep influence of Norse mythology on Scandinavian culture:

  • Tyr (Tisdag): The one-handed god of war and justice who sacrificed his hand to bind the wolf Fenrir
  • Odin (Onsdag): The Allfather, chief of the Aesir gods, associated with wisdom, poetry, death, and magic
  • Thor (Torsdag): Son of Odin, the mighty god of thunder who wielded the hammer Mjölnir
  • Freya/Frigg (Fredag): There's some scholarly debate about whether this day honors Freya (goddess of love and fertility) or Frigg (Odin's wife and goddess of marriage and motherhood)

Lördag: The Washing Day

Unlike other Germanic languages that named Saturday after Saturn (like English "Saturday"), Swedish "lördag" comes from Old Norse "laugardagr," literally meaning "washing day" or "bath day." This reflects the ancient Nordic tradition of taking baths on Saturdays. This connection to cleanliness rather than planetary influence makes Swedish Saturday naming unique among many European languages.

How to Use Days of the Week in Swedish

Days with Prepositions

In Swedish, days of the week are typically used with the preposition "på" (on) when referring to a specific day:

  • "På måndag ska jag gå på bio." (On Monday I will go to the cinema.)
  • "På tisdag har jag ett möte." (On Tuesday I have a meeting.)

Expressing Recurring Events

For activities that happen regularly on a particular day, Swedes often add the suffix "-ar" to the day:

  • "Måndagar går jag på yoga." (On Mondays I go to yoga.)
  • Alternative: "Varje måndag går jag på yoga." (Every Monday I go to yoga.)

Common Phrases with Days

  • "Vilken dag är det idag?" (What day is it today?)
  • "Idag är det fredag." (Today is Friday.)
  • "Vilken dag var det igår?" (What day was it yesterday?)
  • "Vilken dag är det imorgon?" (What day is it tomorrow?)
  • "på måndagsmorgon" (on Monday morning)
  • "på tisdagseftermiddag" (on Tuesday afternoon)
  • "på onsdagskväll" (on Wednesday evening)

Abbreviations

In calendars, schedules, and notes, Swedish days of the week are sometimes abbreviated as follows:

  • mån - måndag
  • tis - tisdag
  • ons - onsdag
  • tors - torsdag
  • fre - fredag
  • lör - lördag
  • sön - söndag

Test Your Knowledge: Swedish Days of the Week Quiz

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Cultural Context of Swedish Weekdays

In Swedish culture, certain traditions and practices are associated with specific days of the week:

Business and Social Customs

  • Fredagsmys: "Cozy Friday" is a beloved Swedish tradition where families gather on Friday evenings to enjoy snacks like tacos or pizza, candy, and watch movies or TV together. It's a relaxed way to mark the end of the workweek.
  • Lördagsgodis: "Saturday candy" is a tradition where children (and many adults) enjoy candy on Saturdays. This tradition began in the 1950s as a dental health measure to limit sweets to one day per week.
  • Söndagsstängda butiker: Historically, most shops in Sweden were closed on Sundays. While this has changed in larger cities with many stores now open seven days a week, some smaller businesses and shops in rural areas still maintain limited Sunday hours.

Traditional Food Associations

Some days in Sweden are traditionally associated with specific dishes:

  • Torsdag (Thursday): Traditionally the day for pea soup (ärtsoppa) and pancakes (pannkakor) with jam
  • Lördag (Saturday): Often associated with tacos or pizza as part of the "fredagsmys" tradition that extends to Saturday
  • Söndag (Sunday): Traditional day for a more elaborate family dinner like "söndagsstek" (Sunday roast)

Fettisdagen and Other Special Days

Beyond the regular week, certain special days have specific names in Swedish:

  • Fettisdagen: "Fat Tuesday" before Lent when Swedes traditionally eat semla pastries
  • Skärtorsdag: Maundy Thursday, from Old Swedish "skära," meaning "to clean"
  • Långfredag: Good Friday, literally "Long Friday"

Fun Fact: Week Numbers

Swedes commonly use week numbers in planning and scheduling. You'll often hear expressions like "vi ses vecka 35" (see you in week 35) rather than specifying the exact date. Most Swedish calendars prominently display the week number (veckonummer) alongside the dates.

Memory Tips and Learning Strategies

Pattern Recognition

Notice that all Swedish days end with "-dag" (meaning "day"). This pattern helps with both spelling and remembering that these words are all directly related to days.

God and Celestial Connections

Swedish days have clear connections to their English counterparts through shared Germanic and Norse mythology:

  • Måndag/Monday: Both relate to the Moon (Måne/Moon)
  • Tisdag/Tuesday: Both relate to the war god Tyr/Tiw
  • Onsdag/Wednesday: Both relate to Odin/Woden
  • Torsdag/Thursday: Both relate to Thor/Thunor
  • Fredag/Friday: Both relate to the goddess Freya/Frigg
  • Söndag/Sunday: Both relate to the Sun (Sol/Sun)

The Exception: Lördag

Remember "lördag" (Saturday) as the exception to the celestial/deity pattern. While English Saturday refers to Saturn, Swedish lördag references the ancient Nordic bathing tradition.

Swedish Days of the Week Song

A popular children's song for learning the Swedish days follows a simple, catchy melody:

Måndag, tisdag, onsdag, torsdag, fredag, lördag, söndag,
Sju dagar i en vecka,
Vi räknar upp dem alla,
Måndag, tisdag, onsdag, torsdag, fredag, lördag, söndag.

(Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
Seven days in a week,
We count them all,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.)

Quick Memory Trick

The acronym "MTOTFLS" can help you remember the first letters of each day: Måndag, Tisdag, Onsdag, Torsdag, Fredag, Lördag, Söndag.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the days of the week in Swedish in order?

The days of the week in Swedish, in order, are: måndag (Monday), tisdag (Tuesday), onsdag (Wednesday), torsdag (Thursday), fredag (Friday), lördag (Saturday), and söndag (Sunday).

Are days of the week capitalized in Swedish?

No, days of the week in Swedish are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence. This follows the standard Swedish grammar rule where only proper nouns like names of people and places are capitalized, while common nouns including days and months remain lowercase.

How do you say the days of the week in Swedish?

The Swedish days of the week are pronounced approximately as follows: måndag (MON-dag), tisdag (TEES-dag), onsdag (ONS-dag), torsdag (TORS-dag), fredag (FRAY-dag), lördag (LER-dag), and söndag (SEN-dag). Swedish pronunciation includes some unique vowel sounds not found in English, particularly the letters å, ä, and ö.

What is the origin of Swedish days of the week?

Swedish weekday names reflect a blend of celestial bodies and Norse mythology. Monday (måndag) and Sunday (söndag) are named after the Moon and Sun respectively. Tuesday (tisdag), Wednesday (onsdag), Thursday (torsdag), and Friday (fredag) honor Norse gods Tyr, Odin, Thor, and Freya/Frigg. Saturday (lördag) uniquely refers to the Old Norse tradition of bathing day ("laugardagr"), breaking from the pattern of celestial bodies or gods.

What is Fredagsmys in Swedish culture?

"Fredagsmys" is a beloved Swedish cultural tradition that literally translates to "Friday coziness." It refers to the practice of families gathering on Friday evenings to relax together after the workweek, typically enjoying comfort foods like tacos or pizza, snacks, candy, and watching movies or TV shows. This concept celebrates the transition from work to weekend leisure time and embodies the Swedish value of "lagom" (moderation) and togetherness.