If you've started learning Greek, you've probably noticed something unusual within the first week of lessons: four of the seven days aren't really "named" at all — they're numbered. Once you see that pattern, the Greek days of the week stop feeling like a random list and start feeling like a small, logical system you can pick up in one sitting.
This guide walks through each day, how to say it, what it actually means, and how to use it in a real sentence — plus the pronunciation traps that trip up English speakers specifically.
Learnora Books Learning Note: Most beginners find Δευτέρα through Πέμπτη the easiest set to memorize, precisely because they follow a numerical pattern rather than needing to be learned as separate vocabulary items. Learn the pattern once, and four of the seven days come almost for free.
Why Greek Days of the Week Don't Follow a Pattern Like English
English names its days after old gods and celestial bodies — Sun-day, Moon-day, Saturn-day. Greek took a different route. Of the seven days, four are ordinal numbers — "second," "third," "fourth," "fifth" — while the remaining three (Sunday, Friday, Saturday) carry their own distinct, religiously rooted names.
This split traces back to early Christian tradition, where Sunday was treated as the "Lord's Day" and functioned as the effective start of the week. The days that followed were then simply counted from there — which is why Monday in Greek literally means "the second day," not "the first."
The Three Non-Numbered Days
- Sunday (Κυριακή) comes from "belonging to the Lord."
- Friday (Παρασκευή) means "preparation" — the day of preparing for the Sabbath.
- Saturday (Σάββατο) keeps a direct link to the Hebrew word for Sabbath.
Once you know this, the whole system clicks into place: four counted days, three named ones.
The Full List of Greek Days of the Week
Here's the complete table of Greek weekdays, with transliteration, IPA, an approximate English-friendly pronunciation, and the literal meaning of each name.
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Note that Sunday functions as the starting point of the count, which is why Monday is "second," not "first."
Breaking Down Each Day: Meaning and Pronunciation
Κυριακή (Kyriakí) – Sunday
Κυριακή comes from κύριος (kýrios), "lord." It's the day set aside as "belonging to the Lord," and in the numbering system it functions as day one, even though it isn't literally called "first day."
Pronunciation note for English speakers: the stressed syllable is the last one — kee-ree-a-KEE. In Modern Greek, the "κ" before "ι" is palatalized, giving it a slightly softer quality than an English hard "k," but it is still a "k" sound, not a "ch" sound — don't shift it toward "chee-ree-a-CHEE." Getting the stress on the final syllable right matters more than the fine articulation detail.
Example: Κυριακή δεν δουλεύω. — "I don't work on Sunday."
Δευτέρα (Deftéra) – Monday
This is where the numbering begins. Δευτέρα comes from δεύτερος (défteros), "second," with the word "day" (ημέρα) dropped for short — so Δευτέρα literally means "the second [day]."
Pronunciation note: the "ευ" combination is pronounced "ef," not "eu" as in English "Europe." Say "def-TE-ra," not "dev-TE-ra" or "de-oo-TE-ra."
Example: Η Δευτέρα είναι η πρώτη μέρα της εβδομάδας για πολλούς. — "Monday is the first day of the week for many people."
Τρίτη (Tríti) – Tuesday
From τρίτος (trítos), "third." One of the easier days to remember once you know the pattern — it's the same root used for "third" in everyday Greek, not just for the day.
Pronunciation note: Greek "τ" is unaspirated — there's no small puff of air after it the way there often is in English "t." Aim for a crisper, slightly softer "t" than you'd use in English, closer to the "t" in words like "stop" (where English "t" is also unaspirated) rather than the "t" at the start of "top."
Example: Σήμερα είναι Τρίτη. — "Today is Tuesday."
Τετάρτη (Tetárti) – Wednesday
From τέταρτος (tétartos), "fourth." If you've studied basic Greek numbers, this word will look familiar — it shares a root with "a quarter" of something, as in a quarter of an hour.
Pronunciation note: English speakers often stress the first syllable out of habit ("TE-tar-ti"). The stress actually falls on the second syllable: te-TAR-ti.
Example: Έχω ραντεβού την Τετάρτη. — "I have an appointment on Wednesday."
Πέμπτη (Pémpti) – Thursday
From πέμπτος (pémptos), "fifth." This is the last of the numbered days.
Pronunciation note: the consonant cluster "μπτ" is the main challenge here. Greek speakers run it together quickly — PEM-ptee — rather than separating it into distinct syllables the way an English speaker instinctively might.
Example: Θα σε δω την Πέμπτη. — "I'll see you on Thursday."
Παρασκευή (Paraskeví) – Friday
Here the numbered pattern breaks. Παρασκευή means "preparation," referring to the day people readied themselves — practically and spiritually — for the Sabbath. It's also a common Greek first name for women, often shortened to "Voula" or "Evi."
Pronunciation note: like Δευτέρα, the "ευ" here is pronounced "ev" before a voiced sound: pa-ra-ske-VEE, not "pa-ra-skew-EE."
Example: Η Παρασκευή είναι η αγαπημένη μου μέρα. — "Friday is my favorite day."
Σάββατο (Sávvato) – Saturday
Σάββατο is inherited from the Hebrew word for Sabbath, making it, alongside Κυριακή, one of the two days with clear religious roots rather than a number.
Pronunciation note: the double "ββ" doesn't lengthen the sound the way doubled consonants sometimes do in other languages — it's pronounced as a single "v": SA-va-to, not "SAB-va-to."
Example: Το Σάββατο πάμε εκδρομή. — "On Saturday we're going on a trip."
Common Pronunciation Mistakes English Speakers Make
A few patterns show up again and again with English-speaking learners:
- Misplacing the stress. Greek stress is fixed per word — "te-TAR-ti," not "TE-tar-ti."
- Reading "ευ" as English "you." It's almost always "ef" or "ev," depending on what follows.
- Adding an English "t" aspiration. Greek "τ" is crisper and less breathy than the puffed English "t."
- Separating consonant clusters. Clusters like "μπτ" in Πέμπτη are run together smoothly, not broken into extra syllables.
- Ignoring gender agreement with articles. Using ο instead of η before a day name is a very common beginner slip (see the next section).
A Short Conversation Example
Μαρία: Τι μέρα είναι σήμερα;
(What day is it today?)
Γιάννης: Σήμερα είναι Τετάρτη. Γιατί ρωτάς;
(Today is Wednesday. Why do you ask?)
Μαρία: Γιατί νόμιζα ότι ήταν Πέμπτη! Έχω ραντεβού την Παρασκευή, όχι σήμερα.
(Because I thought it was Thursday! I have an appointment on Friday, not today.)
Γιάννης: Χαλάρωσε, έχεις ακόμα δύο μέρες.
(Relax, you still have two days.)
Definite Articles and the Days of the Week
Greek day names are grammatically feminine (except Σάββατο, which is neuter), so they take feminine articles — η, την, της — rather than the masculine ο or neuter το.
- Η Δευτέρα είναι δύσκολη μέρα. — Monday (subject form) is a hard day.
- Δουλεύω την Τετάρτη. — I work on Wednesday (direct object / "on" construction).
- Το Σάββατο πάμε εκδρομή. — On Saturday we're going on a trip (Σάββατο takes το, the neuter article).
Notice that Greek doesn't need a separate word for "on" the way English does — the definite article plus the day name already carries that meaning: την Τετάρτη = "on Wednesday," not "on the Wednesday."
How to Use Days of the Week in Everyday Greek Sentences
A few structures come up constantly in daily conversation:
- Τι μέρα είναι σήμερα; — "What day is it today?"
- Σήμερα είναι Τρίτη. — "Today is Tuesday."
- Αύριο είναι Παρασκευή. — "Tomorrow is Friday."
- Χθες ήταν Δευτέρα. — "Yesterday was Monday."
A Simple Way to Memorize the Greek Weekdays
Because four of the seven days follow the "second through fifth" numbering, memorization becomes mostly about learning to count from two to five in Greek, then attaching three extra words for Sunday, Friday, and Saturday.
A practical approach:
- Learn Greek ordinal numbers two through five first (δεύτερος, τρίτος, τέταρτος, πέμπτος).
- Recognize that Δευτέρα, Τρίτη, Τετάρτη, and Πέμπτη are simply the feminine forms of those numbers.
- Treat Κυριακή, Παρασκευή, and Σάββατο as three standalone words to memorize separately, since they don't follow the number pattern.
Splitting the list into "four numbered days" plus "three named days" makes the set feel far less overwhelming than trying to memorize seven unrelated words at once.
Conclusion
The Greek days of the week reward a bit of pattern recognition. Once you see that Monday through Thursday are essentially "second day" through "fifth day," and that Sunday, Friday, and Saturday carry their own religious history, the list stops being seven random words and becomes a small, logical system. Pay attention to stress placement and the "ευ" sound in particular — those are the two spots where English speakers most often go wrong — and you'll be able to talk about your week in Greek with real confidence.
8. FAQ
What are the days of the week in Greek?
Κυριακή (Sunday), Δευτέρα (Monday), Τρίτη (Tuesday), Τετάρτη (Wednesday), Πέμπτη (Thursday), Παρασκευή (Friday), and Σάββατο (Saturday).
How do you pronounce the days of the week in Greek?
Roughly: kee-ree-a-KEE (Sunday), def-TE-ra (Monday), TREE-tee (Tuesday), te-TAR-tee (Wednesday), PEM-ptee (Thursday), pa-ra-ske-VEE (Friday), and SA-va-to (Saturday). Stress placement is the detail English speakers most often get wrong.
Why is Monday called "the second day" in Greek if it's the first day of the work week?
Because Sunday (Κυριακή) was traditionally treated as day one, out of religious significance as "the Lord's Day." Counting continues from there, so Monday becomes the second day.
Are the Greek day names masculine or feminine?
Most are feminine (Δευτέρα, Τρίτη, Τετάρτη, Πέμπτη, Παρασκευή, Κυριακή). Σάββατο is the exception — it's neuter.
How do I say "on Monday" in Greek?
Simply use the definite article with the day: τη Δευτέρα — no separate word for "on" is needed.
Sources
The following reputable resources were consulted for Greek vocabulary, pronunciation, meanings, and language information used in this article.
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Centre for the Greek Language — Triantafyllidis Dictionary
A major reference for Modern Greek vocabulary, meanings, pronunciation, grammar, and etymology.
Visit the Greek Language Portal -
Wiktionary — Greek Language Reference
Used as a supplementary reference for Greek word forms, pronunciation, transliteration, and etymological information.
Visit Wiktionary -
GreekPod101 — Greek Days and Dates
A supplementary learning resource for practical vocabulary, days of the week, and everyday Greek usage.
Visit GreekPod101
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These sources are provided for educational and reference purposes. Last reviewed for this article: September 2026.
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