Have you ever wondered about the origin of the days oft he week in Spanish?
We have done the work for you! And the results were curious:
Let’s go in order, day by day.
The names of the days of the week are derived from Latin, and their origins are based on the heavenly bodies, which in turn were named after Roman gods and planets.
- Lunes (Monday): from the Latin Luna, which means the Moon. In ancient Roman culture, Monday was dedicated to the Moon.
- Martes (Tuesday): from Mars, the Roman god of war. In Latin, dies Martis refers to the day of Mars, and it was associated with the planet Mars.
- Miércoles (Wednesday) from Mercurius, the Roman god of commerce and communication. Dies Mercurii in Latin refers to the day of Mercury, named after the planet Mercury.
- Jueves (Thursday): from Jupiter, the king of the Roman gods. The Latin dies Iovis refers to the day of Jupiter, and it’s associated with the planet Jupiter.
- Viernes (Friday): from Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Dies Veneris in Latin refers to the day of Venus, named after the planet Venus.
- Sábado (Saturday): the word Sábado comes from the Hebrew Shabbat, which means "rest" or "sabbath." The day is associated with rest, and in many languages, Saturday is related to the concept of a day of rest.
- Domingo (Sunday): Domingo comes from the Latin dies Dominicus, meaning "the Lord's Day." This name reflects the Christian tradition of Sunday being a day for worship and rest, as it is the day of Christ’s resurrection.
So, while most of the weekdays are named after Roman gods and planets, Sábado and Domingo have a distinct origin tied to religious practices.
Learn more about the days of the week and other topics
Now you can brag about your knowledge of Spanish culture in your Intensive 25 Conversation course! By the way, what’s your favorite day of the week? The school staff loves Wednesdays, when all the new students have already settled and are enjoying the city rhythm after their first two days of course (our groups classes go from Monday to Friday). And of course, who doesn’t like Fridays?
