Days of the Week and Months in Arabic
Learn all days of the week and months in Arabic, covering both the Gregorian and Islamic Hijri calendars with pronunciation guides and cultural context.
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Days of the Week and Months in Arabic
Knowing how to talk about days and dates is one of the most practical skills you can develop when learning Arabic. Whether you're scheduling a meeting, writing a letter, or discussing Islamic holidays, understanding the days of the week in Arabic and the Arabic calendar system is essential. In this guide, we'll walk through every day and month in both the Gregorian and Hijri calendars, complete with Arabic script, transliteration, and pronunciation tips.
Why Learning Arabic Days and Months Matters
Time expressions appear in virtually every conversation. Once you can confidently name the days and months in Arabic, you'll be able to:
- Make appointments and plans
- Understand Arabic news and media
- Follow Islamic calendar events and holidays
- Read dates in Arabic documents, contracts, and invitations
- Connect more deeply with Arabic-speaking friends and colleagues
If you're just getting started with the language, it helps to already have a handle on the Arabic alphabet and basic vocabulary. You might also find our guide to 100 Most Common Arabic Words Every Beginner Should Know a useful companion as you work through this material.
Days of the Week in Arabic
The Arabic week begins on Sunday, not Monday. This is important to keep in mind when reading Arabic calendars or scheduling with Arabic speakers. The word for "day" in Arabic is يوم (yawm), and each day of the week uses this word as a prefix.
| Day | Arabic | Transliteration | Pronunciation Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | يَوْمُ الأَحَد | Yawm al-Aḥad | "al-AH-had" – means "the first/one" |
| Monday | يَوْمُ الاثنين | Yawm al-Ithnayn | "al-ith-NAYN" – means "the two" |
| Tuesday | يَوْمُ الثلاثاء | Yawm al-Thulāthā' | "al-thu-LA-tha" – means "the three" |
| Wednesday | يَوْمُ الأربعاء | Yawm al-Arbiʿā' | "al-ar-bi-AA" – means "the four" |
| Thursday | يَوْمُ الخميس | Yawm al-Khamīs | "al-kha-MEES" – means "the five" |
| Friday | يَوْمُ الجمعة | Yawm al-Jumʿah | "al-JUM-ah" – means "gathering" |
| Saturday | يَوْمُ السبت | Yawm al-Sabt | "al-SABT" – derived from Sabbath |
The Numeric Roots of the Days
One fascinating feature of Arabic days is that Sunday through Thursday are directly derived from numbers. Sunday (الأحد) comes from the word for "one," Monday (الاثنين) from "two," and so on up to Thursday (الخميس) which comes from "five." This makes them much easier to memorize if you already know your Arabic numbers — check out our Arabic Numbers 1-100 guide for a full breakdown.
Friday (الجمعة) is special — its name comes from the root j-m-ʿ (جمع), meaning "to gather," reflecting its status as the Islamic day of communal prayer. Saturday (السبت) shares its root with the Hebrew Shabbat, pointing to ancient Semitic connections.
Using Days in Sentences
Here are some practical example sentences using days of the week:
- اليوم الاثنين — Al-yawm al-Ithnayn — "Today is Monday."
- أراك يوم الجمعة — Arāka yawm al-Jumʿah — "I'll see you on Friday."
- الاجتماع يوم الخميس — Al-ijtimāʿ yawm al-Khamīs — "The meeting is on Thursday."
- ما هو يوم غد؟ — Mā huwa yawm ghad? — "What day is tomorrow?"
Gregorian Months in Arabic
Most Arabic-speaking countries use the Gregorian calendar for everyday civil and business purposes. However, the names for the months vary by region — there is a Levantine/Eastern naming system used in countries like Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq, and a Western Arabic system used in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Western Arabic Month Names (Gulf & North Africa)
These names closely resemble their Latin/English counterparts and are used across much of the Arab world:
| Month | Arabic | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| January | يَنَايِر | Yanāyir |
| February | فِبْرَايِر | Fibrāyir |
| March | مَارِس | Māris |
| April | أَبْرِيل | Abrīl |
| May | مَايُو | Māyū |
| June | يُونِيُو | Yūniyū |
| July | يُولِيُو | Yūliyū |
| August | أَغُسْطُس | Aghuṣṭus |
| September | سَبْتَمْبَر | Sabtambar |
| October | أُكْتُوبَر | Uktūbar |
| November | نُوفَمْبَر | Nūfambar |
| December | دِيسَمْبَر | Dīsambar |
Levantine/Eastern Arabic Month Names
Used in the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan) and Iraq, these names have ancient Syriac-Aramaic roots:
| Month | Arabic | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| January | كَانُون الثَّاني | Kānūn al-Thānī |
| February | شُبَاط | Shubāṭ |
| March | آذَار | Ādhār |
| April | نِيسَان | Nīsān |
| May | أَيَّار | Ayyār |
| June | حَزِيرَان | Ḥazīrān |
| July | تَمُّوز | Tammūz |
| August | آب | Āb |
| September | أَيْلُول | Aylūl |
| October | تِشْرِين الأَوَّل | Tishrīn al-Awwal |
| November | تِشْرِين الثَّاني | Tishrīn al-Thānī |
| December | كَانُون الأَوَّل | Kānūn al-Awwal |
If you're learning a specific dialect, it's worth knowing which system is used in that region. Explore our Arabic Dialects Explained guide for a deeper look at regional differences.
The Islamic Hijri Calendar
The Hijri calendar (التقويم الهجري) is a purely lunar calendar used throughout the Islamic world for religious purposes — determining the dates of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and other important Islamic observances. The calendar began with the Hijra (هجرة), the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE.
Because it is based on lunar cycles (each month begins with the new moon), the Hijri year is approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. This means Islamic holidays shift earlier each Gregorian year.
The 12 Months of the Hijri Calendar
| # | Arabic Month | Transliteration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | مُحَرَّم | Muḥarram | Sacred month; Islamic New Year |
| 2 | صَفَر | Ṣafar | — |
| 3 | رَبِيعُ الأَوَّل | Rabīʿ al-Awwal | Birth month of the Prophet |
| 4 | رَبِيعُ الثَّاني | Rabīʿ al-Thānī | Also called Rabīʿ al-Ākhir |
| 5 | جُمَادَى الأُولَى | Jumādā al-Ūlā | — |
| 6 | جُمَادَى الآخِرَة | Jumādā al-Ākhirah | — |
| 7 | رَجَب | Rajab | Sacred month |
| 8 | شَعْبَان | Shaʿbān | Month before Ramadan |
| 9 | رَمَضَان | Ramaḍān | Month of fasting |
| 10 | شَوَّال | Shawwāl | Eid al-Fitr is 1st Shawwāl |
| 11 | ذُو القَعْدَة | Dhū al-Qaʿdah | Sacred month |
| 12 | ذُو الحِجَّة | Dhū al-Ḥijjah | Month of Hajj; Eid al-Adha |
The Four Sacred Months
Islam designates four months as sacred (أشهر حرم):
- Muḥarram (محرم) — the 1st month
- Rajab (رجب) — the 7th month
- Dhū al-Qaʿdah (ذو القعدة) — the 11th month
- Dhū al-Ḥijjah (ذو الحجة) — the 12th month
Warfare was traditionally forbidden during these months in pre-Islamic Arabia, and Islam continued to honor their sanctity.
Talking About Dates in Arabic
Once you know the days and months, you need to be able to put them together into complete date expressions. Here are some essential patterns:
Asking About the Date
- ما التاريخ اليوم؟ — Mā al-tārīkh al-yawm? — "What is today's date?"
- في أي يوم نحن؟ — Fī ayyi yawm naḥnu? — "What day are we on?"
- متى موعدك؟ — Matā mawʿiduk? — "When is your appointment?"
Expressing Dates
In Arabic, dates are written and spoken as: Day + ordinal number + month + year
For example:
- الثلاثاء، الخامس عشر من رمضان — Al-Thulāthā', al-khāmis ʿashar min Ramaḍān — "Tuesday, the 15th of Ramadan"
- يوم الجمعة الأول من يناير — Yawm al-Jumʿah, al-awwal min Yanāyir — "Friday, the 1st of January"
Understanding ordinal numbers (first, second, third…) is essential here. Our Arabic Numbers guide covers this in detail, and you can explore more vocabulary on our Arabic words page.
Seasons in Arabic
For complete temporal fluency, it helps to know the four seasons as well:
| Season | Arabic | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | الرَّبِيع | Al-Rabīʿ |
| Summer | الصَّيْف | Al-Ṣayf |
| Autumn/Fall | الخَرِيف | Al-Kharīf |
| Winter | الشِّتَاء | Al-Shitāʾ |
Example: أحب الربيع في بلاد الشام — Uḥibbu al-Rabīʿ fī bilād al-Shām — "I love spring in the Levant."
Tips for Memorizing Arabic Days and Months
Here are some proven strategies to help lock in this vocabulary:
- Use the number connection: Remember that Sunday–Thursday are numbered (1–5). Link each day to its number as you count on your fingers.
- Label your calendar: Write the Arabic days on a physical or digital calendar and switch your phone's language to Arabic for a week.
- Practice daily greetings: Every morning, say today's date aloud in Arabic. This builds both habit and pronunciation.
- Group Hijri months: Learn them in pairs or thematic groups (e.g., the two Rabīʿs, the two Jumādās, the two Tishrīns).
- Use flashcards: Apps like Anki let you drill vocabulary with spaced repetition — highly effective for lists like these.
- Watch Arabic media: News channels like Al Jazeera regularly mention dates; try to catch the day and month as you listen.
For a broader set of learning strategies, see our guide on How to Learn Arabic Fast: 10 Proven Strategies.
Common Date-Related Vocabulary
Here are some additional time words you'll use alongside days and months:
| English | Arabic | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Today | اليوم | Al-yawm |
| Yesterday | أمس | Ams |
| Tomorrow | غداً | Ghadan |
| Week | أسبوع | Usbūʿ |
| Month | شهر | Shahr |
| Year | سنة / عام | Sanah / ʿĀm |
| Day | يوم | Yawm |
| Date | تاريخ | Tārīkh |
| Calendar | تقويم | Taqwīm |
| Holiday | عطلة / إجازة | ʿUṭlah / Ijāzah |
| Last week | الأسبوع الماضي | Al-usbūʿ al-māḍī |
| Next week | الأسبوع القادم | Al-usbūʿ al-qādim |
You can find more essential vocabulary organized by category on our Arabic words page.
Putting It All Together
Let's look at a short real-world dialogue using days, months, and dates:
A: ما التاريخ اليوم؟ (What is today's date?) B: اليوم الاثنين، العاشر من أكتوبر. (Today is Monday, the 10th of October.) A: وما هو اليوم الموافق في التقويم الهجري؟ (And what is the corresponding date in the Hijri calendar?) B: هو الخامس والعشرون من ربيع الأول. (It is the 25th of Rabīʿ al-Awwal.)
This kind of dual-calendar awareness is common in Arabic-speaking countries, especially in government documents and Islamic contexts.
Conclusion
Mastering the days of the week in Arabic and the various month systems — both Gregorian and Hijri — is a fundamental milestone on your Arabic learning journey. The numeric roots of the weekdays make them logical to learn, while the Hijri calendar opens a window into Islamic culture and tradition that enriches your understanding of the Arab world.
Keep practicing by reading Arabic dates in news articles, setting your devices to Arabic, and using these words in daily conversation. Every day you practice is another يوم closer to fluency!
Ready to build on this foundation? Explore the Arabic alphabet to sharpen your reading skills, dive into our Arabic numbers page, or browse our full Arabic vocabulary categories to keep expanding your knowledge.