
Language is like a puzzle you have to put together, and prepositions often seem to be the most challenging pieces to fit. But don’t lose hope! In Danish, there’s often a clear picture behind the preposition drama — especially when it comes to the Danish prepositions of time, which follow a surprisingly simple logic.
As you’re learning Danish, you’ve probably stumbled upon phrases like i mandags, på mandag, and om mandagen, and found yourself wondering about the differences between them. That’s exactly what we’re going to explore here: how Danes talk about time and when to use the Danish prepositions of time i, på, and om with the days of the week.
But first, let’s take a look at the days of the week in Danish:
Danish | English |
mandag | Monday |
tirsdag | Tuesday |
onsdag | Wednesday |
torsdag | Thursday |
fredag | Friday |
lørdag | Saturday |
søndag | Sunday |
Heads up: All days of the week are written with a small letter in Danish, unless they are at the beginning of a sentence.
Now let’s get to the point: how do we use the Danish prepositions of time i, på, and om with the days of the week?
I + Days of the Week
Let’s start with the preposition i when used with days of the week. This preposition refers to days in the past, specifically to the last time that day occurred, i.e. the most recent occurrence.
- i mandags – last Monday/on Monday (meaning on the most recent Monday before the time of speaking)
- i fredags – last Friday/on Friday
- i lørdags – last Saturday/on Saturday
In English, we can use phrases like last Monday or on Monday, depending on the context. For instance, if today is Friday and you say i mandags, on Monday, it refers to the Monday that just happened earlier this week. But if it’s already Tuesday and you mention i fredags, you’re actually talking about the Friday that occurred before this Tuesday, meaning last week’s Friday.
Examples:
- Jeg mødtes med min ven i mandags. – I met my friend on Monday (referring to the most recent Monday).
- Vi var til fest i fredags. – We went to a party last Friday/on Friday (the Friday before today).
Notice the -s at the end of these words. It’s an ending we use when talking about the most recent occurrence of a day. This -s serves as a special morpheme (only used in these cases) that indicates the past, referring to a time that has already passed. We add it not only to the days of the week but also to expressions about the time of day, like i formiddags (this morning), i morges (this morning), and i aftes (last evening).
Heads up: While the -s is a distinguishing factor for days of the week, it’s not the only difference. For example, i fredags means last Friday, while på fredag means on Friday that’s yet to come, showing that the preposition changes the meaning. However, when it comes to times of the day, sometimes the -s is the only difference: i eftermiddags (this afternoon that has passed) versus i eftermiddag (in the afternoon that’s yet to come). But more on that some other time.
Rule in a Nutshell:
Use i + day of the week + -s when referring to the previous occurrence of that day. Think of it as meaning the most recent [day].
På + Days of the Week
På is used when you’re talking about a future day, whether it’s this week or next.
- på mandag – on Monday (the Monday that’s yet to come)
- på fredag – on Friday
- på lørdag – on Saturday
This usage is very similar to the English on when referring to days of the week.
For example, if today is Monday and you say på fredag, it refers to the upcoming Friday of this week. However, if it’s Thursday and you mention på tirsdag, it refers to the Tuesday that is coming next week.
Examples:
- Vi ses på fredag. – We’ll see each other on Friday.
- Jeg har fri på tirsdag. – I’m off on Thursday.
Rule in a Nutshell:
Use på + day of the week when talking about a future day. It’s like on in English for referring to days that haven’t happened yet.
Om + Days of the Week
Om is a bit different from i and på. This preposition is used for things that happen regularly or repeatedly, such as habits or routines. It can also be used in other time expressions, such as om eftermiddagen (in the afternoon, suggesting regularity), or om vinteren (in the winter).
- om mandagen – on Mondays (in general, every Monday, suggesting a routine)
- om onsdagen – on Wednesdays (generally, every Wednesday)
- om søndagen – on Sundays (generally, every Sunday)
Examples:
- Om onsdagen går jeg i fitnesscenteret. – On Wednesdays, I go to the gym.
- Vi besøger mine forældre om søndagen. – We visit my parents on Sundays.
Heads up: You might have noticed that when using om with days of the week, the day ends with -en (e.g., onsdagen, søndagen). This is because we’re using the definite form of the word, which literally means the Wednesday (or another day), indicating a recurring event.
- om mandagen – on Mondays
- om lørdagen – on Saturdays
Rule in a Nutshell:
Use om + day of the week + -en when talking about something that happens regularly or on multiple occasions. It can also be used in other time expressions, such as om eftermiddagen (in the afternoon, suggesting regularity), or om vinteren (in the winter).
Quick Summary:
Let’s recap the three main prepositions of time:
- I + day + -s: Refers to the past (most recent occurrence of the day).
- Jeg gik til yoga i mandags. – I went to yoga on Monday/last Monday.
- På + day: Refers to the future (upcoming occurrence of the day).
- Jeg skal arbejde på fredag. – I have to work on Friday.
- Om + day + -en: Refers to something that happens regularly or is a part of a routine.
- Jeg træner om torsdagen. – I work out on Thursdays.