Weekend in Different Languages
Discover 'Weekend' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The weekend: two glorious days that signify a pause in the workweek, a time for relaxation and rejuvenation. Its significance goes beyond just a break from work, as it holds a special place in many cultures around the world. The concept of the weekend has evolved over time, with its origins dating back to the industrial revolution when labor laws were first introduced to limit the workweek. This change allowed for the emergence of a two-day break, which has since become a staple in modern society.
For many, the weekend represents a chance to pursue hobbies, spend time with loved ones, and explore new places. Its importance is such that it has been translated into various languages, reflecting its global recognition and cultural significance. For instance, in Spanish, it's 'fin de semana,' in French, 'le weekend,' in German, 'das Wochenende,' in Italian, 'il weekend,' in Japanese, '週末 (shūmatsu),' and in Chinese, '周末 (zhōumò).'
Join us as we delve into the translations of the word 'weekend' in different languages, providing insights into the cultural importance of this cherished time off.
Weekend
Weekend in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | naweek | ||
| The Afrikaans word "naweek" comes from an abbreviation of "naweek-einde" (weekend) and not from "na week" (after week), as is often incorrectly assumed. | |||
| Amharic | ቅዳሜና እሁድ | ||
| Hausa | karshen mako | ||
| "Karshen mako" is also a Hausa word for "last week" (a week ago). | |||
| Igbo | izu ụka | ||
| The Igbo word "izu ụka" derives from the phrase "izu uka abụọ", meaning "the second coming of the market week", and refers to the two-day break after the four-day market week. | |||
| Malagasy | weekend | ||
| The word "weekend" means "end of the week" in Malagasy, as well as "a time to relax and spend with family or friends."} | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kumapeto kwa sabata | ||
| The word "kumapeto kwa sabata" literally means "the end of the Sabbath" in Nyanja, referring to the period of rest after the Sabbath, which is Sunday for Christians. | |||
| Shona | vhiki yevhiki | ||
| "Vhiki yevhiki" in Shona literally means "the back and front of the week" or "the spine of the week." | |||
| Somali | dhamaadka usbuuca | ||
| Etymology of the Somali word "dhamaadka usbuuca" is unknown, but it is also commonly used as an idiom meaning “at the end of the day” or “ultimately." | |||
| Sesotho | beke | ||
| In Sesotho, "beke" is derived from the Dutch word "week" and can also mean "week". | |||
| Swahili | wikendi | ||
| The Swahili word "wikendi" is derived from the Arabic word "weekend," which means "end of the week." | |||
| Xhosa | ngempelaveki | ||
| In Xhosa, "ngempelaveki" is also a type of traditional attire worn by married women. | |||
| Yoruba | ìparí | ||
| Ìparí can also mean "a long time" or a period of time that feels like a weekend. | |||
| Zulu | ngempelasonto | ||
| Ngempelasonto is derived from the word 'empelasonto' which means 'to finish something'. | |||
| Bambara | dɔgɔkunlaban | ||
| Ewe | kɔsiɖanuwuwu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | weekend | ||
| Lingala | wikende | ||
| Luganda | wikendi | ||
| Sepedi | mafelelo a beke | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nnawɔtwe awieeɛ | ||
Weekend in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عطلة نهاية الاسبوع | ||
| The word "عطلة نهاية الاسبوع" (weekend) in Arabic literally means "the holiday of the end of the week." | |||
| Hebrew | סוף שבוע | ||
| סוף שבוע, in Hebrew, derives from the phrase meaning "the end of the week" and refers to the period from Friday evening to Saturday evening. | |||
| Pashto | د اونۍ پای | ||
| Arabic | عطلة نهاية الاسبوع | ||
| The word "عطلة نهاية الاسبوع" (weekend) in Arabic literally means "the holiday of the end of the week." | |||
Weekend in Western European Languages
| Albanian | fundjave | ||
| "Fundjave" is a word formed from "fund" (end) and "javë" (week). | |||
| Basque | asteburu | ||
| The Basque word "asteburu" literally means "the end of the week". | |||
| Catalan | cap de setmana | ||
| "Cap de setmana" is the phrase for "weekend" in Catalan, literally translating to "head of the week". | |||
| Croatian | vikend | ||
| In Croatian, "vikend" originally referred to the holiday break between Christmas and Epiphany. | |||
| Danish | weekend | ||
| Weekend derives from the Danish phrase "hverdage", meaning "everyday" or "weekday." | |||
| Dutch | weekend | ||
| In Dutch, "weekend" can also refer to a two or three-day vacation, not necessarily over a Saturday and Sunday. | |||
| English | weekend | ||
| 'Weekend' comes from the early 20th century 'week-end', which is a combination of 'week' and 'end'. It refers to the period from Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening. | |||
| French | weekend | ||
| The modern French word "week-end" was borrowed from the late 19th century English word. | |||
| Frisian | wykein | ||
| "Wykein" is a compound word derived from "wyk" (week) and "ein" (end), hence meaning "end of the week." | |||
| Galician | fin de semana | ||
| "Fin de semana" literally means "end of the week" and is used to refer to the period of time between Friday afternoon and Monday morning. | |||
| German | wochenende | ||
| "Wochenende" literally means "week's end" and it's the German word for "weekend." | |||
| Icelandic | helgi | ||
| The word 'helgi' comes from the Old Norse word 'helgr' meaning 'holy' or 'sacred'. | |||
| Irish | deireadh seachtaine | ||
| Italian | fine settimana | ||
| Fine settimana is the Italian translation of the English loanword weekend, a term originally referring to the end of the working week and the start of the two-day holiday period that followed. | |||
| Luxembourgish | weekend | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Weekend" also refers to the period between two church services on Sundays. | |||
| Maltese | weekend | ||
| In Maltese, "weekend" is pronounced "uíkend", which means "end of the week". | |||
| Norwegian | helg | ||
| The word 'helg' is derived from 'heilagdagr', meaning 'holy day', indicating its religious origins. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | final de semana | ||
| In Brazil, "final de semana" can refer either to a Sunday or the entire weekend. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | deireadh-seachdain | ||
| Spanish | fin de semana | ||
| The term originated in British colonial India with the "Indian week", in which laborers had Saturday afternoon and Sunday off work. | |||
| Swedish | helgen | ||
| The word 'helgen' is derived from the Old Norse words 'heilagr' (holy) and 'dagr' (day), referring to its religious significance. | |||
| Welsh | penwythnos | ||
Weekend in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | выхадныя | ||
| The Belarusian word "выхадныя" literally translates to "outputs" or "excursions". | |||
| Bosnian | vikendom | ||
| In Bosnian, 'vikendom' is derived from the German word 'Wochenende', meaning 'weekend'. | |||
| Bulgarian | уикенд | ||
| The word "уикенд" in Bulgarian is derived from the English word "weekend" and means "the days from Saturday to Sunday". | |||
| Czech | víkend | ||
| Víkend, a word of German origin, originally referred to the end of a week, especially Saturday evening and the following day. | |||
| Estonian | nädalavahetus | ||
| The word "nädalavahetus" in Estonian literally means "middle of the week", but it is used to refer to the period from Saturday to Sunday. | |||
| Finnish | viikonloppu | ||
| The word "viikonloppu" literally means "the end of the week" in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | hétvége | ||
| The word “hétvége” is an interesting linguistic construction consisting of two parts, with "hét" meaning seven and "vége" meaning end and together referring to the end of the seven day weekdays. | |||
| Latvian | nedēļas nogale | ||
| The word "nedēļas nogale" literally means "end of the week" in Latvian, but it can also refer to the time between Friday evening and Sunday evening, a period of rest and recreation. | |||
| Lithuanian | savaitgalis | ||
| Savaitgalis is likely a compound of Lithuanian words 'savaite' (week) and 'galas' (end). | |||
| Macedonian | викенд | ||
| The word "викенд" is derived from the English word "weekend", which itself is a compound of "week" and "end", and refers to the period from Saturday evening to Sunday evening. | |||
| Polish | weekend | ||
| Weekend in Polish, unlike in English, originally referred to one day, Saturday, not two days starting with Saturday. | |||
| Romanian | sfârșit de săptămână | ||
| The Romanian word "sfârșit de săptămână" literally translates to "end of the week". | |||
| Russian | выходные | ||
| The word "выходные" in Russian can also refer to an exit or opening, and is derived from the verb "выходить" (to go out). | |||
| Serbian | викендом | ||
| The Serbian word "викендом" derives from the German word "Wochenende" and originally meant "a small country house for weekend retreats". | |||
| Slovak | víkend | ||
| The Slovak word "víkend" can also be used to refer to a holiday cottage, cabin, or hut. | |||
| Slovenian | vikend | ||
| Vikend in Slovenian can refer to both the weekend and a vacation home | |||
| Ukrainian | вихідні | ||
| The word “вихідні” is a plural noun derived from the verb “вихід”, which means “exit” or “way out”. | |||
Weekend in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | উইকএন্ড | ||
| উইকএন্ড শব্দটি 'সপ্তাহান্ত' অর্থে 'উইক' (সপ্তাহ) এবং 'এন্ড' (শেষ) শব্দের সমন্বয়ে গঠিত। | |||
| Gujarati | સપ્તાહના અંતે | ||
| The word "weekend" comes from the Old English word "wucu" meaning "week" and "ende" meaning "end". | |||
| Hindi | सप्ताहांत | ||
| The word "सप्ताहांत" is derived from the Sanskrit words "सप्ताह" (meaning "seven") and "अंत" (meaning "end"). | |||
| Kannada | ವಾರಾಂತ್ಯ | ||
| The word comes from Kannada 'vaara' (week) and 'antha' (end) | |||
| Malayalam | വാരാന്ത്യം | ||
| The Malayalam word 'വാരാന്ത്യം' means 'weekend' and is also used to refer to the period from Saturday afternoon to Monday morning. | |||
| Marathi | शनिवार व रविवार | ||
| The Marathi word for "weekend" ("शनिवार व रविवार") literally means "Saturday and Sunday". | |||
| Nepali | सप्ताहन्त | ||
| The word "सप्ताहन्त" is derived from the Sanskrit words "सप्त" (seven) and "अन्त" (end), meaning "the end of the seven (days of the week)". | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ਨੀਵਾਰ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਸ਼ਨੀਵਾਰ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "शनिवार" which means "Saturday" and has no alternate meanings. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සති අන්තය | ||
| සති අන්තය derives from 'saptha' meaning seven and 'antha' meaning end, and can also refer to holidays and days off work. | |||
| Tamil | வார இறுதி | ||
| "வார இறுதி" is a phrase that literally translates to "end of the week" or "day off." | |||
| Telugu | వారాంతంలో | ||
| The word "వారాంతంలో" can also mean "at the end of the week" or "on the weekends". | |||
| Urdu | ہفتے کے آخر | ||
| ہفتے کے آخر is an Urdu word that originally meant "a period of seven days", but now refers to the period from Friday evening to Sunday evening. | |||
Weekend in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 周末 | ||
| 周末（Mandarin pinyin: zhōumò）means "end of the week" and can refer to both Saturday and Sunday or just the latter | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 週末 | ||
| 週末 (zhōumò) literally means "week's end" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 週末 | ||
| The word "週末" (週末) literally means "the end of the week" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 주말 | ||
| The Korean word "주말" (weekend) combines the words "주" (week) and "말" (end), which is similar to the etymology of the English word | |||
| Mongolian | амралтын өдөр | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တနင်္ဂနွေ | ||
Weekend in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | akhir pekan | ||
| 'Akhir pekan' is derived from Arabic words meaning 'last' ('akhir') and 'gathering' ('pekan'), originally referring to festivities on Fridays. | |||
| Javanese | akhir minggu | ||
| Akhir minggu's Javanese etymology is "final day" or "last day", referring to the last day of the Javanese seven-day pasaran week. | |||
| Khmer | ចុងសប្តាហ៍ | ||
| Lao | ທ້າຍອາທິດ | ||
| Malay | hujung minggu | ||
| The Malay word 'hujung minggu' literally means 'end of the week', highlighting its association with the conclusion of the workweek. | |||
| Thai | สุดสัปดาห์ | ||
| The word "สุดสัปดาห์" comes from the Sanskrit word "sapta" meaning "seven", and "aha" meaning "day", thus "สุดสัปดาห์" means "the end of the seven days". | |||
| Vietnamese | ngày cuối tuần | ||
| Ngày cuối tuần (weekend) xuất phát từ tiếng Anh cổ "wīcenste", có nghĩa là "thời gian trong tuần được dành để nghỉ ngơi". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | katapusan ng linggo | ||
Weekend in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | həftə sonu | ||
| The word "həftə sonu" literally means "the end of the week" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | демалыс | ||
| "Демалыс" is a Kazakh word that means "rest", "vacation", and "recreation". | |||
| Kyrgyz | дем алыш | ||
| The word "дем алыш" literally translates to "rest-taking" in English. | |||
| Tajik | истироҳат | ||
| Turkmen | dynç günleri | ||
| Uzbek | dam olish kunlari | ||
| Uyghur | ھەپتە ئاخىرى | ||
Weekend in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hopena pule | ||
| The Hawaiian word "hopena pule" literally means "the end of the week". | |||
| Maori | wiki whakataa | ||
| The word "wiki whakataa" combines "wiki" (week) and "whakataa" (to shut), alluding to the end of the workweek. | |||
| Samoan | faaiuga o le vaiaso | ||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | katapusan ng linggo | ||
| The word "katapusan ng linggo" in Tagalog can also refer to the period from Friday afternoon to Sunday night, the time when many Filipino workers and students have their days off. | |||
Weekend in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | siman tukuya | ||
| Guarani | arapokõindypaha | ||
Weekend in International Languages
| Esperanto | semajnfino | ||
| "Semajnfino" was initially proposed by Zamenhof to mean Sunday only; a separate Esperanto word for Saturday (("sabato") wasn't coined until 1907. | |||
| Latin | volutpat vestibulum | ||
Weekend in Others Languages
| Greek | σαββατοκύριακο | ||
| The term "σαββατοκύριακο" is derived from the Greek words "σάββατο" (Saturday) and "κυριακή" (Sunday), together meaning "weekend." | |||
| Hmong | lis xaus | ||
| The Hmong word "lis xaus" was originally used to refer to the end of the month, not the weekend. | |||
| Kurdish | dawîaya heftê | ||
| The word "dawîaya heftê" in Kurdish is derived from the Arabic word "dâwīya" (rotation, cycle) and "haft" (week), referring to the end of the weekly cycle. | |||
| Turkish | hafta sonu | ||
| "Hafta sonu" (lit. end of the week) is sometimes colloquially used to refer to Sunday, the last day of the week in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | ngempelaveki | ||
| In Xhosa, "ngempelaveki" is also a type of traditional attire worn by married women. | |||
| Yiddish | סוף וואך | ||
| The Yiddish word סוף וואך ("weekend") literally means "end of the week," highlighting the cultural significance of the weekend as a time to rest and recharge. | |||
| Zulu | ngempelasonto | ||
| Ngempelasonto is derived from the word 'empelasonto' which means 'to finish something'. | |||
| Assamese | সপ্তাহান্ত | ||
| Aymara | siman tukuya | ||
| Bhojpuri | सप्ताहांत | ||
| Dhivehi | ހަފްތާ ބަންދު | ||
| Dogri | हफ्ते दा अखीरी दिन | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | katapusan ng linggo | ||
| Guarani | arapokõindypaha | ||
| Ilocano | gibus ti lawas | ||
| Krio | wikɛnd | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پشووی کۆتایی هەفتە | ||
| Maithili | सप्ताहान्त | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯌꯣꯜ ꯂꯣꯏꯕ ꯃꯇꯝ | ||
| Mizo | kartawp | ||
| Oromo | dhuma torbanii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସପ୍ତାହାନ୍ତ | ||
| Quechua | semana tukuy | ||
| Sanskrit | सप्ताहांत | ||
| Tatar | ял көннәре | ||
| Tigrinya | ቀዳመ-ሰንበት | ||
| Tsonga | mahelo ya vhiki | ||