italiano · A1 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Days of the week
Use weekdays with or without an article to distinguish one day from a habit.
Understand the choice
Weekdays are lowercase in Italian and most end with a written accent. The article changes interpretation: lunedì for a particular Monday, il lunedì for every Monday.
Core rule: A bare weekday often means the next/specified occurrence; the definite article can mark a recurring habit.
Notice it in context
Lunedì lavoro, ma il martedì studio italiano.
On Monday I work, but on Tuesdays I study Italian.
Bare lunedì schedules one day; il martedì marks a repeated weekly study habit.
Sabato andiamo al mercato.
On Saturday we go to the market.
Bare sabato gives the scheduled day.
La domenica i negozi sono spesso chiusi.
On Sundays shops are often closed.
La domenica expresses a recurring condition.
What to remember
- Fine settimana and weekend are both common.
- The plural of accented weekdays is unchanged: i lunedì.
Common trap: Do not capitalize weekdays unless they begin a sentence.