Days of the Week
In Albanian, days of the week are always feminine and lowercase. They use a linking article 'e' in their basic form (e hënë) and a special 'të' construction to say when something happens (të hënën).
How It Works
Albanian days of the week are essential for daily communication. Here is the conceptual framework for using them:
1. The Naming Form (Indefinite)
When you simply want to say 'Today is Monday,' you use the indefinite form. All days are feminine nouns and are preceded by the linking article 'e'.
Example: Sot është e hënë. (Today is Monday.)
2. The Temporal Form (Definite)
To say 'on Monday' or 'on Tuesday,' Albanian does not use the preposition në. Instead, it uses the linking article 'të' followed by the definite accusative form of the day.
Example: Shihemi të hënën. (See you on Monday.)
3. Recurring Actions (Plural)
To express that something happens every week on a specific day (e.g., 'on Mondays'), use the definite plural form preceded by 'të'.
Example: Të premteve (On Fridays).
4. Spelling and Capitalization
Unlike English, days of the week are not capitalized in Standard Albanian unless they start a sentence. Most days end in -ë (e hënë, e martë, e mërkurë, e shtunë), but Thursday and Friday end in -e (e enjte, e premte), and Sunday ends in -l (e diel).
5. Cultural Origins
The names are a mix of Latin-derived terms (Moon, Mars, Mercury) and indigenous Illyrian/Albanian deities like En (Thursday) and Prende (Friday).
Examples (6)
- Sot është e martë.
Today is Tuesday.
Word by Word: Today is the Tuesday.
Uses the indefinite nominative form to name the day.
- Do të vij të mërkurën.
I will come on Wednesday.
Word by Word: Will (to) come the Wednesday.
Uses 'të' + definite accusative to indicate 'on Wednesday'.
- Të hënave unë shkoj në palestër.
On Mondays I go to the gym.
Word by Word: The Mondays I go in gym.
Uses the definite plural form to indicate a recurring action every Monday.
- E enjtja është ditë e bukur.
Thursday is a beautiful day.
Word by Word: The Thursday is day (a) beautiful.
Uses the definite nominative form (e enjtja) when the day is the specific subject of the sentence.
- Ne punojmë të shtunën.
We work on Saturday.
Word by Word: We work the Saturday.
Demonstrates the temporal 'on' construction for the weekend.
- Dyqani është i mbyllur të dielën.
The shop is closed on Sunday.
Word by Word: Shop-the is of closed the Sunday.
Note the spelling of 'e diel' and its definite form 'të dielën'.
Common Mistakes
Using the preposition 'në' for days of the week.
Do të shkoj në të hënën.Do të shkoj të hënën.In Albanian, 'në' is used for months and years, but days of the week use the particle 'të' with the definite accusative.
Capitalizing the names of the days.
Sot është e Premte.Sot është e premte.Days of the week are common nouns in Albanian and should not be capitalized.
Omitting the linking article 'e'.
Sot është hënë.Sot është e hënë.The linking article e normally comes before the day's name in this sentence: e hënë, e martë. Without it the sentence sounds incomplete in careful speech and writing.
Related Patterns
- Feminine Nouns
All days of the week are feminine nouns and follow feminine declension patterns.
Foundations - i / eAdjective Link Particles
The names of the days use the linking article 'e' in their base form, similar to many adjectives.
Foundations - Definite Accusative Case
The temporal 'on [day]' construction requires the definite accusative case.
Foundations - tëLinking Article 'Të'
The particle 'të' used for days is the same linking article used in plural or oblique case adjectives.
Level 1 - kurQuestion Word: Kur
The question word 'Kur?' (When?) is typically answered using the days of the week.
Foundations
Words in This Pattern
Practice Days of the Week in Bubblegum
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