Learn Japanese: Days of the Week

Mastering the days of the week is a fundamental step in achieving fluency in Japanese, as it allows you to coordinate meetings, understand schedules, and discuss your daily life. This lesson covers the seven days of the week, which all share the common suffix yōbi. Each day is associated with a specific natural element or celestial body; for example, Monday is Getsuyōbi (Moon Day), while Tuesday is Kayōbi (Fire Day) and Wednesday is Suiyōbi (Water Day). In casual contexts or on printed schedules, you may see these names abbreviated to their first character, such as Getsu (Monday) or Ka (Tuesday).

Beyond the specific days, this lesson introduces essential terms for navigating time relative to the present. You will learn words like Kyō (Today), Ashita (Tomorrow), and Kinō (Yesterday), as well as more specific terms like Asatte (Day after tomorrow) and Ototoi (Day before yesterday). You will also discover how Japanese organizes weeks using the root word Shū. By learning specific prefixes, you can easily shift between Senshū (Last week), Konshū (This week), and Raishū (Next week). Whether you are discussing a busy Heijitsu (Weekday) or looking forward to a relaxing Kyūjitsu (Holiday), these terms are vital for everyday conversation and planning.