A Fun and Easy Guide to The Days of The Week in Portuguese

 

Days of the week in Portuguese and English, with pronunciation

Portuguese pronunciation can be tricky to master, especially if you're not just trying to say it but also to understand what people are saying. Learning Portuguese is like taking a trip back in time to when Latin was king. When Portuguese speakers think about weekdays, they often use numbers (segunda - feira = second da y, etc.), while weekend days have unique names. Here they are with phonetic hints: Tip: practise these with audio - many Portuguese courses in Dubai include recorded pronunciation drills or live tutor feedback at Jumeirah Centre.

English	Portuguese	Phonetic Pronunciation	Pronunciation for English Speakers
Monday	segunda-feira	[segũdaˈfeɪɾa]	say-goon-dah fay-ee-rah
Tuesday	terça-feira	[teɾsaˈfeɪɾa]	tayr-sah fay-ee-rah
Wednesday	quarta-feira	[kʊaxˈtafeɪɾa]	kwar-tah fay-ee-rah
Thursday	quinta-feira	[kĩˈtafeɪɾa]	keen-tah fay-ee-rah
Friday	sexta-feira	[sestaˈfeɪɾa]	say-eesh-tah fay-ee-rah
Saturday	sábado	[ˈsabadʊ]	sah-bah-doo
Sunday	domingo	[doˈmĩgʊ]	doo-meen-goo

FAQs for learning the Portuguese days of the week

Are days of the week masculine or feminine in Portuguese?

Weekdays (segunda - feira ... sexta - feira) are grammatically feminine; weekends - sábado and domingo - are masculine

Do days of the week get capitalized in Portuguese?

No - unlike English, days of the week are not capitalized in Portuguese.

How do you abbreviate days of the week in Portuguese?

You can abbreviate by the first three letters or drop feira for weekdays (useful for calendars, schedules and class timetables used i n corporate training or at Jumeirah Centre).

Day of the Week	Commonly Used Abbreviation	Abbreviation	Super Short Abbreviation
segunda-feira	segunda	seg.	2ª
terça-feira	terça	ter.	3ª
quarta-feira	quarta	qua.	4ª
quinta-feira	quinta	qui.	5ª
sexta-feira	sexta	sex.	6ª
sábado	sábado	sáb.	n/a
domingo	domingo	dom.	n/a

Origin of the days’ names in Portugues

Portuguese uses a numerical naming system adopted originally for Holy Week. The structure is: second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth, followed by feira (from Latin feria, “rest day”). This tradition was later extended to cover the entire week.

Fun hacks to learn the days of the week in Portuguese

These practical, enjoyable methods are the kind often recommended in language workshops and conversation clubs at Jumeirah Cent re:

Watch Brazilian soap operas

Brazil is a huge producer of telenovelas - great for hearing days of the week used naturally. Many shows come with Portuguese subtitles, so you can follow along and pick up vocabulary in context.

Watch football (soccer) matches in Portuguese

Live commentary is fast but extremely useful for hearing repeated phrases and scheduling vocabulary (match days, training, fixtures). It’s a popular tip in our sports - themed language sessions.

Play Stop! (Adedonha)

A classic word game that builds vocabulary and quick recall. It’s a great activity for group classes - ideal for kids & teens programs or adult conversation groups run at Berlitz Jumeirah Centre. There’s also an online version (StopoS) if you prefer digital practice.

Songs that help you learn the days of the week

Music is one of the most effective memorization tools. Here are a few Portuguese songs that mention or reinforce days of the week:

Até Segunda-feira-Chico Buarque

Segunda à Sexta (Não faz cara feia)-Turma do Pagode

Dias da Semana-Toobys (kid-friendly and easy to sing along)

These tracks are often used in conversation classes and listening exercises at language schools in Dubai.

How to use the Portuguese days of the week in sentences

Putting the days into context helps retention. Try these examples - you’ll often practice similar sentences during private lessons or group classes at Jumeirah Centre. Pro tip: use these sentences in role - play during lessons or with a language partner - Jumeirah Centre offers t andem speaking sessions and conversation clubs to practise exactly this.

English Meaning	Portuguese
Sunday is the day I stay home with my family.	Domingo é o dia em que eu fico em casa com a minha família.
Today is Monday.	Hoje é segunda-feira.
I work from Monday to Friday.	Eu trabalho de segunda a sexta.
I go to Portuguese class every Tuesday.	Ontem foi terça-feira.
We're going to travel on Wednesday.	Nós vamos viajar na quarta.
Thursday is my favorite day of the week.	Quinta-feira é o meu dia favorito da semana.
I'm going out with friends on Thursday night.	Vou sair com os amigos na quinta à noite.
Friday is the last day of the work week.	Sexta-feira é o último dia da semana de trabalho.
Saturday is the day I rest.	Sábado é o dia em que eu descanso.

Funny sentences with the Portuguese days of the week

Use humour to break the ice in class or at a networking event: Deus fez as segundas - feiras para nos punir pelas coisas que apro ntamos no fim de semana! Fato científico importante: a preguiça sente o cheiro da segunda - feira. Boa semana, só depois de quinta - feira! Teachers at Berlitz Jumeirah Centre often include jokes like these to lighten lessons and encourage speaking.

English Meaning	Portuguese
God created Mondays to punish us for the things we do on the weekend!	Deus fez as segundas-feiras para nos punir pelas coisas que aprontamos no fim de semana!
Important scientific fact: laziness smells like Monday.	Fato científico importante: a preguiça sente o cheiro da segunda-feira.
Be more like weekends and holidays, and less like a Monday. Nobody likes Monday.	Seja mais como finais de semana e feriados, e menos como uma segunda-feira. Ninguém gosta de segunda-feira.
Have a good week with a "w" for wicked as hell Monday!	Boa semana com "S" de segunda-feira chata pra caramba!
May your week be as light and wonderful as the weeks that have holidays on Tuesday or Thursday.	Que sua semana seja tão leve e maravilhosa quanto às semanas que têm feriados na terça ou na quinta-feira.
Have a good week, only after Thursday!	Boa semana, só depois de quinta-feira!

Other useful expressions related to time in Portuguese

These are essential for scheduling meetings, booking classes, and daily conversation in the UAE: Hoje · Ontem · Amanhã · Depois de amanhã · Cedo · Tarde · Daqui 3 dias · Semana que vem · Mês que vem · Ano q ue vem · Todo os dias · Todas as segundas - feiras · Agora · Agora mesmo · Mais tarde · Nunca.

English	Portuguese
Today	Hoje
Yesterday	Ontem
Tomorrow	Amanhã
After tomorrow	Depois de amanhã
Early	Cedo
Late	Tarde
In three days	Daqui a 3 dias
Next week	Semana que vem
Next month	Mês que vem
Next year	Ano que vem
Every day	Todos os dias
Every Monday	Todas as segundas-feiras
Now	Agora
Right now	Agora mesmo
Later	Mais tarde
Never	Nunca

Practice makes perfect So there you have it - a fun and practical guide to the Portuguese days of the week, lightly adapted for learners in the UAE. With a little practice (audio drills, songs, games, and live conversation), you’ll be using them like a native speaker in no time.

• Beginner to advanced Portuguese courses in Dubai
• Online and in - centre classes with flexible schedules
• Private tutoring and group lessons
• Corporate Portuguese training for businesses in Dubai and the UAE
• Kids & teens programmes, exam prep, and conversation clubs
• Placement tests,
• Pronunciation practice, and cultural workshops to deepen your understanding For structured practice,

Berlitz UAE can help - whether you learn at our Dubai branches (Jumeirah or JLT), study on - site in DIFC, or visit our Abu Dhabi branches in Khalidiya and Khalifa. Learning Portuguese doesn’t have to be complicated - especially with the right guidance, structure and resources.