The days of the week
Arabic day names are nouns with ال. Five of them are old number words: the week starts on Sunday, so Sunday is the first day, Monday the second, and so on up to Thursday. Friday, الجمعة, means the gathering, the day of the congregational prayer, and Saturday, السبت, is the word Sabbath.
| day | Arabic | related to |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | الأحد(al-ahad) | أحد one |
| Monday | الاثنين(al-ithnayn) | اثنان two |
| Tuesday | الثلاثاء(ath-thulâthâ') | ثلاثة three |
| Wednesday | الأربعاء(al-arbi'â') | أربعة four |
| Thursday | الخميس(al-khamîs) | خمسة five |
| Friday | الجمعة(al-jumu'a) | the gathering |
| Saturday | السبت(as-sabt) | Sabbath |
On Monday
To say on a day, put يوم (day) in front of the name. No preposition is needed.
| I have a meeting on Sunday. | عندي اجتماع يوم الأحد.indî ijtimâ'un yawma al-ahad. |
| We go to the mosque on Friday. | نذهب إلى المسجد يوم الجمعة.nadh-habu ilâ al-masjidi yawma al-jum'ati |
Without يوم, the name is simply the day itself:
| Today is Sunday. | اليوم الأحد.al-yawmu al-ahad |
In many Arab countries the weekend is Friday and Saturday, so the working week starts on Sunday.
| Work starts on Monday. | يبدأ العمل يوم الاثنين.yabda'u al-'amalu yawma al-ithnayn |
Tonight, and one night
ليلة(laylah) is a night, one particular night. الليلة(al-layla) with ال means tonight, just as اليوم means today.
| What are you doing tonight? | ماذا تفعل الليلة؟mâdhâ taf'alu allaylata? |
| My brother slept in the hotel for one night. | نام أخي في الفندق ليلة واحدة.nâma akhî fil-funduqi laylatan wâhidatan |
A night belongs to the day that FOLLOWS it: ليلة الجمعة is Thursday night, the eve of Friday.
| Tonight is Thursday night (the eve of Friday). | الليلة ليلة الجمعة.al-laylatu laylatu l-jumu'ah |
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