What day is today? Easy!
Today is the best day to learn Portuguese, and on our A Dica do Dia we are going to learn the days of the week in Portuguese. We will take you on a linguistic journey to explore the days of the week in Portuguese, igniting your curiosity and expanding your language skills. Let’s learn how to say and pronounce Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Portuguese. We will also learn the words for, “week” and “weekend” in Portuguese and we’ll finish by practicing with a song about the days of the week in Portuguese.
Before we dive into the enchanting world of Portuguese, let’s first understand why learning the days of the week in a new language is essential. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned traveler, knowing these fundamental words allows you to navigate conversations, plan your schedule, and immerse yourself in the local culture.
So, are you ready to embrace the melody of Portuguese and unlock the rhythm of the days of the week? Let’s embark on this linguistic adventure together!
Take a look at how we write them and listen to the pronunciation in Portuguese:
What are the Days of the Week in Portuguese

Domingo – Sunday
Segunda-feira – Monday
Terça-feira – Tuesday
Quarta-feira – Wednesday
Quinta-feira – Thursday
Sexta-feira – Friday
Sábado – Saturday
Are the Days of the Week written in Capital Letters in Portuguese?
The days of the week in Portuguese can be written in capital letters when they start the sentence, but in the middle of a sentence, we write them in lowercase.
Days is Masculine, Week is Feminine
In Portuguese day is a masculine word and week is a feminine word.
| day | o dia |
| week | a semana |
So we will say:
O dia
A semana
O dia da semana (The day of the week)
Are the Days of the Week in Portuguese Masculine or Feminine?
Domingo and Sábado are masculine in Portuguese, and the other days are feminine. Take a look at our examples:
Examples with days of the week
Não tem nada interessante na TV no Domingo.
There’s nothing interesting on TV on Sunday.
Todo mundo odeia segunda-feira.
Everybody hates Monday.
Toda terça-feira tem Vídeo Dica nova no nosso Canal no Youtube.
Every Tuesday there’s a new Video Dica on our YouTube Channel.
Quarta-feira à tarde ela vai visitar o Centro do Rio.
Wednesday afternoon she is going to visit Centro do Rio.
O que você fez na quinta-feira passada?
What did you do last Thursday?
Sexta-feira é dia de beber caipirinhas na Lapa!
Friday is the day to drink caipirinhas in Lapa!
Eu gosto de relaxar no Sábado.
I like to relax on Saturday.
Dias Úteis and Weekend in Portuguese
Domingo and Sábado are considered Fim de Semana (Weekend). The other days are called Dias Úteis (Working days).
Shorten Version for Weekdays in Portuguese
When talking about the “dias úteis“, it’s optional to use the word “feira“. Take a look:
Examples
Todo mundo odeia segunda.
Everybody hates Monday.
Toda terça tem Vídeo Dica nova no nosso Canal no Youtube.
Every Tuesday there’s a new Video Dica on our YouTube Channel.
Quarta à tarde ela vai visitar o Centro do Rio.
Wednesday afternoon she is going to visit Centro do Rio.
O que você fez na quinta passada?
What did you do last Thursday?
Sexta é dia de beber caipirinhas na Lapa!
Friday is the day to drink caipirinhas at Lapa!
There is still a shorter way to write weekdays is with just a number with a small a, see a table with the two ways to abbreviate the weekdays in Portuguese:
| segunda-feira | segunda | 2ª |
| terça-feira | terça | 3ª |
| quarta-feira | quarta | 4ª |
| quinta-feira | quinta | 5ª |
| sexta-feira | sexta | 6ª |
Monday in Portuguese
When it comes to the days of the week in Portuguese, Monday is known as “segunda-feira.” The word “segunda” translates to “second” while “feira” means “fair” or “market.” Together, they form “segunda-feira,” which literally means “second fair” or “second market.”
Knowing the translation of Monday in Portuguese can be helpful for conversation starters, scheduling appointments, and planning activities. Here are a few related phrases that you might find useful:
- Que dia é hoje? – What day is today?
- Hoje é segunda-feira. – Today is Monday.
- O que você vai fazer na segunda-feira? – What are you going to do on Monday?
See in this last example how we use na, joining the preposition em with an article, in this case, the article a. See more on how we do these Portuguese contractions on our dica about the preposition em with definite articles.
Tuesday in Portuguese
As we saw Tuesday is terça-feira in Portuguese, but do you know how we name the most important terça-feira of the year? The most important Tuesday in Brazil is terça de carnaval, in English it is Mardi Gras, also called Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, which takes place annually on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. See an example:
- Muitos turistas visitam o Brasil especificamente para experienciar a terça de carnaval.
Many tourists visit Brazil specifically to experience Mardi Gras.
Get to know more about Carnival in Rio here.
Wednesday in Portuguese
To help you further expand your knowledge of Wednesday in Portuguese, let’s take a look at some examples:
Examples with Wednesday in Portuguese:
- “Happy Wednesday!” – “Feliz quarta-feira!”
- “What are your plans for Wednesday?” – “Quais são seus planos para quarta-feira?”
- “Let’s meet on Wednesday.” – “Vamos nos encontrar na quarta-feira.”
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with “Quarta-feira” as you continue your language learning journey. Remember, practicing and using these words in real-life situations will help solidify your understanding and improve your fluency, that’s why in Rio & Learn we use our methodology livelearning.
Thursday in Portuguese
Here are some expressions and examples to help you practice that are related to Thursday in Portuguese:
- Todas as quintas-feiras – every Thursday
- Na próxima quinta-feira – next Thursday
- Quinta-feira passada – last Thursday
- Amanhã é quinta-feira – tomorrow is Thursday
Friday in Portuguese
When it comes to the days of the week in Portuguese, “Friday” is known as Sexta-feira. It is a word that is commonly used in conversations, especially when making plans for the weekend or discussing leisure activities.
Here are a few related phrases that you might find useful:
- Vamos sair na sexta-feira? – Shall we go out on Friday?
- Estou ansioso pelo fim de semana! – I am looking forward to the weekend!
- Na sexta-feira, vou ao cinema com meus amigos. – On Friday, I am going to the movies with my friends.
Sextou in Portuguese
Sextou is a popular expression in Brazil that translates to “It’s Friday” or “TGIF” in English. It represents the excitement and joy that comes with the end of the workweek and the beginning of the weekend. In Portuguese, weekdays are called dias da semana, and Friday is known as “sexta-feira.”
But why is Friday so celebrated in Brazilian culture? One reason is that it marks the start of the weekend, a time for leisure and relaxation. People often make plans with friends and family, go out for dinner, or enjoy their favorite activities.
So, if you ever find yourself in Brazil, don’t be surprised if you hear people exclaiming “Sextou!” on Fridays. It’s a cultural expression that encapsulates the excitement and anticipation for the weekend. Whether you’re exploring the bustling streets of Rio de Janeiro or relaxing on the beaches of Bahia, take part in the Brazilian tradition of celebrating the end of the workweek and embracing the joy of the weekend. “Sextou” is a reminder to cherish the moments of leisure and recharge before the week starts again.
Example with Sextou in Portuguese:
Finalmente sextou! Vamos comemorar o início do fim de semana com uma noite de cinema em casa.
Finally, it’s Friday! Let’s celebrate the start of the weekend with a movie night at home.
Weekend in Portuguese
Saturday in Portuguese
Saturday in Portuguese is called “sábado”. It comes from the Latin word “sabbatum”, which means Sabbath. In Portugal and many other Portuguese-speaking countries, Saturdays are often used for leisure activities, gathering with friends and family, and exploring beautiful landscapes. It’s a day to relax, recharge, and enjoy the weekend. Example for Saturday in Portuguese:
“Sábado à noite” – Saturday night
Take note that in Portuguese when you should write two times “a” you need to use à. À in Portuguese is used instead of the preposition a + the feminine article a. Learn how to use it in our dica about the à accent in Portuguese.
Sunday in Portuguese
Sunday, known as “domingo” in Portuguese, is a special day in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries. It marks the end of the week and is a day for relaxation and family time. In Portuguese, the first day of the week is not really Monday, it is Sunday. So in the Portuguese calendar, you will see that every week starts on Monday, and this is why, we call Monday “segunda-feira” as it is the second day of the week.
Useful Expressions for the Week in Portuguese
| dia | day |
| semana | week |
| fim de semana | weekend |
| dia útil | weekday |
| começo da semana | beginning of the week |
| Bom fim de semana! | Have a good weekend! |
| que vem (ex. Sexta que vem) | next (ex. next Friday) |
| próximo / próxima | next |
| Até! | See you! |
| Até terça! | See you on Tuesday! |
| Todo dia | Every day |
| Um outro dia | Not today, another day,. |
| um desses dias | one of these days |
| dia a dia | day by day (or day-to-day) |
| semana que vem | next week |
| Todos os dias | Every day |
| Todas as quintas | Every Thursday |
Examples:
- dia
- Portuguese: “Hoje é um belo dia para caminhar no parque.”
- English: “Today is a beautiful day to walk in the park.”
- semana
- Portuguese: “Tenho uma reunião importante na próxima semana.”
- English: “I have an important meeting next week.”
- fim de semana
- Portuguese: “Vamos à praia no fim de semana?”
- English: “Let’s go to the beach on the weekend?”
- dia útil
- Portuguese: “Os bancos só funcionam em dias úteis.”
- English: “Banks only operate on weekdays.”
- começo da semana
- Portuguese: “Prefiro organizar minha agenda no começo da semana.”
- English: “I prefer to organize my schedule at the beginning of the week.”
- Bom fim de semana!
- Portuguese: “Bom fim de semana! Aproveite bastante.”
- English: “Have a good weekend! Enjoy it.”
- que vem
- Portuguese: “Ela vai começar o novo trabalho na semana que vem.”
- English: “She will start her new job next week.”
- próximo / próxima
- Portuguese: “A reunião será an próxima quinta-feira.”
- English: “The meeting will be next Thursday.”
- Até!
- Portuguese: “Até!”
- English: “See you!”
- Até terça!
- Portuguese: “Até terça! Tenha um bom dia.”
- English: “See you on Tuesday! Have a good day.”
- Todo dia
- Portuguese: “Eu leio um livro todo dia antes de dormir.”
- English: “I read a book every day before going to sleep.”
- Um outro dia
- Portuguese: “Vamos marcar isso para um outro dia, hoje está muito corrido.”
- English: “Let’s schedule this for another day, today is very busy.”
- um desses dias
- Portuguese: “Precisamos nos encontrar um desses dias para colocar o papo em dia.”
- English: “We need to meet up one of these days to catch up.”
- dia a dia
- Portuguese: “O dia a dia na cidade é muito agitado.”
- English: “The day-to-day life in the city is very hectic.”
- semana que vem
- Portuguese: “Minhas férias começam na semana que vem.”
- English: “My vacation starts next week.”
- Todos os dias
- Portuguese: “Ele caminha todos os dias pela manhã.”
- English: “He goes for a walk every morning.”
- Todas as quintas
- Portuguese: “Temos aula de piano todas as quintas.”
- English: “We have piano lessons every Thursday.”
Song to remember the days of the week in Portuguese
A good method to helps children learn the days of the week in Portuguese is with child songs. This is a great way to remember the order of the days and their corresponding names in Portuguese. It’s not uncommon to hear children singing along this kind of songs about the days of the week. Let’s practice!:
See you next Dica!
That’s it, galera!!
What is you favorite day of the week? Why?
Did you know that we have a different RioLIVE! Activity for each day of the week? Keep an eye on them and join us!
We meet again soon on our next A Dica do Dia!
Bye bye!
Click on the links below to see more related Dicas
Today, Yesterday and Tomorrow in Portuguese
Months in Portuguese
Frequency adverbs in Portuguese
Adverbs of Place in Portuguese
Online Academic Coordinator at Rio & Learn Portuguese School.
Experienced educational coordinator and teacher since 2007, adept in curriculum development, creating physical and digital educational materials, and leveraging online platforms to enhance learning outcomes