Hello, I’m Kodak.
The Japanese word for Monday is:
Hiragana: げつようび
Romaji: getsuyōbi / getsuyoubi
Meaning: Monday
In the compound 月曜日, 月 uses the on-reading げつ (getsu).
Its core meaning is still “the weekday of the Moon”.
Monday in Japanese = 月曜日 (getsuyōbi)
The word is built from:
月 (getsu) — the Moon
曜 (yō) — a luminary or weekday marker
日 (bi) — day
The most useful basic sentence is:
今日は月曜日です。
Kyō wa getsuyōbi desu.
Today is Monday.
In this article, you will learn:
② why Monday is connected to the Moon
③ why 月 is read getsu rather than tsuki
④ how to pronounce and write 月曜日
⑤ how to say on Monday, every Monday, next Monday, and Monday morning
⑥ how to use the particles に, は, の, から, and まで
⑦ useful example sentences, casual expressions, and common beginner mistakes
- 1 What Does Getsuyoubi Mean?
- 2 How Is 月曜日 Written and Pronounced?
- 3 Breaking Down 月曜日: Moon + Luminary + Day
- 4 Why Is Monday the “Day of the Moon”?
- 5 Why Is 月 Read Getsu Instead of Tsuki?
- 6 How to Say “It Is Monday” in Japanese
- 7 How to Say “On Monday”: 月曜日に
- 8 月曜日に vs 月曜日は
- 9 How to Say “Monday’s…”: 月曜日の
- 10 How to Say “Every Monday” in Japanese
- 11 How to Say “Next Monday” and “Last Monday”
- 12 From Monday to Friday: 月曜日から金曜日まで
- 13 How to Abbreviate Monday in Japanese
- 14 How to Ask About Monday Plans
- 15 How to Respond When Monday Does Not Work
- 16 Monday Morning, Afternoon, and Night
- 17 Does the Japanese Week Start on Monday?
- 18 月曜日 in Casual Speech, Anime, and Everyday Dialogue
- 19 月曜病 and “Monday Blues” in Japanese
- 20 Common Beginner Mistakes with Getsuyoubi
- 20.1 Mistake 1: Saying Tsuki-youbi
- 20.2 Mistake 2: Shortening the Long Vowel
- 20.3 Mistake 3: Thinking 月 Means “Month” in 月曜日
- 20.4 Mistake 4: Adding に in Every Sentence
- 20.5 Mistake 5: Confusing 月曜日 and 一月
- 20.6 Mistake 6: Assuming 月曜日 Always Means Every Monday
- 20.7 Mistake 7: Forgetting の Before a Part of the Day
- 20.8 Mistake 8: Using 月曜日まで When You Mean a Deadline
- 21 Natural Example Sentences with 月曜日
- 22 FAQ About Getsuyoubi and Monday in Japanese
- 22.1 What does getsuyoubi mean?
- 22.2 How do you say Monday in Japanese?
- 22.3 How do you write getsuyoubi in hiragana?
- 22.4 How do you write Monday in kanji?
- 22.5 Why does 月曜日 mean Monday?
- 22.6 Why is 月 read getsu in getsuyoubi?
- 22.7 What does yōbi mean?
- 22.8 How do you say “on Monday” in Japanese?
- 22.9 How do you say “every Monday” in Japanese?
- 22.10 How do you say “next Monday” in Japanese?
- 22.11 How do you say “last Monday” in Japanese?
- 22.12 How do you say “Monday morning” in Japanese?
- 22.13 Can getsuyoubi be shortened?
- 22.14 Does Japanese Monday also mean Moon’s day?
- 22.15 Is Monday the first day of the week in Japan?
- 22.16 What is getsuyoubyou?
- 23 Summary: Getsuyoubi Means Monday in Japanese
- 24 References
What Does Getsuyoubi Mean?
Getsuyōbi (月曜日) means Monday.
今日は月曜日です。
Kyō wa getsuyōbi desu.
Today is Monday.
月曜日に学校へ行きます。
Getsuyōbi ni gakkō e ikimasu.
I will go to school on Monday.
月曜日は忙しいです。
Getsuyōbi wa isogashii desu.
I am busy on Mondays / Monday is busy for me.
月曜日に会います may mean “I will meet you on Monday.”
月曜日は休みです may mean “Mondays are my days off.”
How Is 月曜日 Written and Pronounced?
Hiragana: げつようび
Katakana: ゲツヨウビ
Romaji with a macron: getsuyōbi
Romaji without a macron: getsuyoubi
Mora: げ・つ・よ・う・び (5 morae)
The よう (yō) contains a long vowel. Hold the yo sound slightly longer than in a short よ.
げ・つ・よ・う・び
The つ should not disappear, and よう should not be shortened to a single short よ.
ge-tsu-yoo-bi
Avoid:
ge-tsyo-bi
ge-tsu-yo-bi with a very short “yo”
Breaking Down 月曜日: Moon + Luminary + Day
The word consists of three kanji.
The Moon; also month in other contexts
曜 (yō)
A shining heavenly body; a kanji used in the weekday system
日 (bi)
Day
月 + 曜 + 日 = 月曜日
The weekday of the Moon = Monday
Add one of the seven celestial-body kanji to 曜日:
日・月・火・水・木・金・土.
月曜日 — Monday
火曜日 — Tuesday
水曜日 — Wednesday
木曜日 — Thursday
金曜日 — Friday
土曜日 — Saturday
For the full list, pronunciation, and abbreviations, see Days of the Week in Japanese.
Why Is Monday the “Day of the Moon”?
Japanese weekday names come from the 七曜 (shichiyō), or seven luminaries:
The Moon
Mars
Mercury
Jupiter
Venus
Saturn
Monday was assigned to the Moon, so Japanese uses 月曜日, the weekday of the Moon.
The Japanese and English words look different, but both preserve the same celestial association.
月曜日 = Moon + weekday
English:
Monday = Moon’s day
Shared core image:
The day associated with the Moon
The seven-luminary weekday system reached Japan in the Heian period through Buddhist astrological and calendrical traditions. It existed in calendars long before the modern workweek became part of everyday Japanese life.
Learn the history of all seven names here: Japanese Days of the Week Meaning: Why Are They Named After Planets?
Why Is 月 Read Getsu Instead of Tsuki?
The kanji 月 has several readings.
The standalone native-Japanese word for the moon
げつ (getsu)
Used in many compounds, including 月曜日
がつ (gatsu)
Used mainly in the names of calendar months
Tsuki ga kirei desu.
The moon is beautiful.
月曜日です。
Getsuyōbi desu.
It is Monday.
一月です。
Ichigatsu desu.
It is January.
In 月曜日, 月 is read getsu and represents the Moon.
In 今月, it is also read getsu but means month.
For a full explanation of these readings, see Tsuki Meaning: Why 月 Means Both “Moon” and “Month”.
How to Say “It Is Monday” in Japanese
Getsuyōbi desu.
It is Monday.
When the context is clear, you do not need to say “it” or “today.”
A: 今日は何曜日ですか。
Kyō wa nan-yōbi desu ka?
What day is it today?B: 月曜日です。
Getsuyōbi desu.
It is Monday.
今日は月曜日。 sounds casual.
今日は月曜日です。 sounds polite and complete.
How to Say “On Monday”: 月曜日に
Use the particle に to mark Monday as the time when an action happens.
on Monday + action
月曜日に病院へ行きます。
Getsuyōbi ni byōin e ikimasu.
I will go to the hospital on Monday.
月曜日に試験があります。
Getsuyōbi ni shiken ga arimasu.
There is an exam on Monday.
月曜日に電話してください。
Getsuyōbi ni denwa shite kudasai.
Please call me on Monday.
Both of these can be natural:
月曜日に会いましょう。
月曜日、会いましょう。
月曜日に会議があります。
There is a meeting on Monday.
⇒ Clearly marks the event time.
Without に:
月曜日、会議があります。
There is a meeting on Monday.
⇒ Common in conversation, schedules, and topic-like openings.
月曜日に vs 月曜日は
に marks the time of an action. は makes Monday the topic or contrasts it with another day.
There is a meeting on Monday.
⇒ When does the meeting happen?
月曜日は会議があります。
As for Monday, there is a meeting.
⇒ Monday is the topic; another day may be different.
It may mean “I’m busy on Monday” in a conversation about next week, or “Mondays are busy” when discussing your usual schedule.
When are you free next week?
B: 月曜日は忙しいけど、火曜日は暇。
I’m busy on Monday, but I’m free on Tuesday.
⇒ One particular week
月曜日はいつも忙しい。
Mondays are always busy.
⇒ A regular pattern
How to Say “Monday’s…”: 月曜日の
Use the particle の when Monday modifies a following noun.
月曜日の午後 — Monday afternoon
月曜日の夜 — Monday night
月曜日の予定 — Monday’s schedule
月曜日の授業 — Monday’s class
月曜日の会議 — Monday’s meeting
月曜日の朝は早く起きます。
Getsuyōbi no asa wa hayaku okimasu.
I wake up early on Monday morning.
月曜日の予定を確認してください。
Getsuyōbi no yotei o kakunin shite kudasai.
Please check Monday’s schedule.
月曜日の夜は空いています。
Getsuyōbi no yoru wa aite imasu.
I am free on Monday night.
Schedules, headlines, or compact labels may omit particles, but の is the clear and natural choice in ordinary speech.
How to Say “Every Monday” in Japanese
The standard expression is 毎週月曜日 (maishū getsuyōbi).
月曜日 = Monday
毎週月曜日 = every Monday
毎週月曜日に日本語を勉強します。
Maishū getsuyōbi ni Nihongo o benkyō shimasu.
I study Japanese every Monday.
店は毎週月曜日が休みです。
Mise wa maishū getsuyōbi ga yasumi desu.
The store is closed every Monday.
Use it when you specifically mean every Monday.
How to Say “Next Monday” and “Last Monday”
Monday next week
先週の月曜日 (senshū no getsuyōbi)
Monday last week
今週の月曜日 (konshū no getsuyōbi)
Monday this week
来週の月曜日に会いましょう。
Raishū no getsuyōbi ni aimashō.
Let’s meet next Monday.
先週の月曜日にメールを送りました。
Senshū no getsuyōbi ni mēru o okurimashita.
I sent the email last Monday.
今週の月曜日は祝日でした。
Konshū no getsuyōbi wa shukujitsu deshita.
This Monday was a public holiday.
However, expressions like “next Monday” can become ambiguous near the end or beginning of a week. When the exact date matters, say 来週の月曜日 and add the date.
来週の月曜日、七月二十七日に会いましょう。
Let’s meet next Monday, July 27.
From Monday to Friday: 月曜日から金曜日まで
Use から for “from” and まで for “until” or “through.”
月曜日まで — until Monday / by Monday, depending on the sentence
月曜日から金曜日まで — from Monday through Friday
月曜日から仕事が始まります。
Getsuyōbi kara shigoto ga hajimarimasu.
Work begins on Monday.
月曜日から金曜日まで働きます。
Getsuyōbi kara kin’yōbi made hatarakimasu.
I work from Monday through Friday.
月曜日までに宿題を出してください。
Getsuyōbi made ni shukudai o dashite kudasai.
Please submit the homework by Monday.
までに marks a deadline by which a one-time action must be completed.
I am off until Monday.
⇒ The state continues.
月曜日までに連絡してください。
Please contact me by Monday.
⇒ Complete the action before the deadline.
How to Abbreviate Monday in Japanese
Japanese calendars and schedules often shorten 月曜日.
月曜 — shortened spoken or written form
月 — one-kanji calendar abbreviation
（月） — common abbreviation after a date
Monday, July 27
月曜休館
Closed on Mondays
月・水・金
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
In a row with 月・火・水・木・金, the kanji are weekday abbreviations.
In 七月, 月 means month.
In 月が見える, it means the moon.
How to Ask About Monday Plans
Are You Free on Monday?
Getsuyōbi, hima desu ka?
Are you free on Monday?
月曜日は空いていますか。
Getsuyōbi wa aite imasu ka?
Are you available on Monday?
What Are You Doing on Monday?
Getsuyōbi wa nani o shimasu ka?
What will you do on Monday?
月曜日、何する？
Getsuyōbi, nani suru?
What are you doing Monday?
⇒ Casual
Can We Meet on Monday?
Getsuyōbi ni aemasu ka?
Can we meet on Monday?
月曜日はどうですか。
Getsuyōbi wa dō desu ka?
How about Monday?
月曜日に会えますか directly asks whether meeting is possible.
月曜日はどうですか gently proposes Monday as one option.
How to Respond When Monday Does Not Work
A common beginner dialogue is:
How about Monday?
B: 月曜日はちょっと……。
Monday is a little difficult…
A: では、火曜日はどうですか。
Then, how about Tuesday?
月曜日はちょっと…… literally begins “Monday is a little…” and politely implies that Monday is inconvenient.
月曜日は予定があります。
Getsuyōbi wa yotei ga arimasu.
I have plans on Monday.
すみません、月曜日は都合が悪いです。
Sumimasen, getsuyōbi wa tsugō ga warui desu.
Sorry, Monday is not convenient for me.
月曜日以外なら大丈夫です。
Getsuyōbi igai nara daijōbu desu.
Any day other than Monday is fine.
Monday Morning, Afternoon, and Night
月曜日の昼 — Monday daytime / noon
月曜日の午後 — Monday afternoon
月曜日の夕方 — Monday evening
月曜日の夜 — Monday night
月曜日の朝にメールを送ります。
Getsuyōbi no asa ni mēru o okurimasu.
I will send the email on Monday morning.
月曜日の午後なら空いています。
Getsuyōbi no gogo nara aite imasu.
I am free Monday afternoon.
月曜日の夜は早く寝ます。
Getsuyōbi no yoru wa hayaku nemasu.
I go to bed early on Monday nights.
月曜日の朝 uses の to connect Monday and morning.
The following に marks that whole phrase as the time of the action.
Monday + connecting particle + morning + time particle
月曜日の朝に出発します。
I will leave on Monday morning.
Does the Japanese Week Start on Monday?
The answer depends on the system being used.
Many business schedules, schools, and international standards treat Monday as the first day of the week. However, some Japanese calendars display Sunday first, and traditional weekday-name sequences are often listed from Sunday.
In ISO-style numbering, Monday is day one. On a Sunday-first calendar, it appears second.
The word 月曜日 itself does not tell you its numerical position.
月曜日 in Casual Speech, Anime, and Everyday Dialogue
The word itself is neutral and ordinary. In casual speech, speakers often shorten it to 月曜 (getsuyō) or omit particles.
Do you have school Monday?
また月曜日に。
See you again on Monday.
月曜日から本気出す。
I’ll get serious starting Monday.
月曜の朝は眠い。
I’m sleepy on Monday mornings.
次の月曜まで待てない。
I can’t wait until next Monday.
You will see it in conversation, schedules, headlines, program listings, and signs.
月曜病 and “Monday Blues” in Japanese
月曜病 (getsuyōbyō) describes the lack of motivation or gloomy feeling that can appear when work or school begins again after the weekend.
病 = illness or syndrome
月曜病 = Monday blues
日曜日の夜になると、月曜病になる。
Nichiyōbi no yoru ni naru to, getsuyōbyō ni naru.
When Sunday night comes, I get the Monday blues.
In everyday language, it describes not wanting to return to work or school after the weekend.
Common Beginner Mistakes with Getsuyoubi
Mistake 1: Saying Tsuki-youbi
○ getsuyōbi
In 月曜日, 月 uses the reading getsu.
Mistake 2: Shortening the Long Vowel
Romaji: getsuyōbi / getsuyoubi
Keep よう long.
Mistake 3: Thinking 月 Means “Month” in 月曜日
In this weekday name, 月 represents the Moon, not a calendar month.
Mistake 4: Adding に in Every Sentence
I will meet you on Monday.
月曜日は忙しいです。
I am busy on Monday / Mondays are busy.
月曜日の予定です。
It is Monday’s schedule.
The correct particle depends on the role of Monday in the sentence.
Mistake 5: Confusing 月曜日 and 一月
一月 (ichigatsu) — January
一か月 (ikkagetsu) — one month
Mistake 6: Assuming 月曜日 Always Means Every Monday
Add 毎週 when you specifically want to say every Monday.
I will go on Monday.
毎週月曜日に行きます。
I go every Monday.
Mistake 7: Forgetting の Before a Part of the Day
○ 月曜日の朝
Monday morning
Mistake 8: Using 月曜日まで When You Mean a Deadline
For a deadline, 月曜日までに is usually the clearest expression.
I will wait until Monday.
月曜日までに終わらせます。
I will finish it by Monday.
Natural Example Sentences with 月曜日
今日は月曜日です。
Kyō wa getsuyōbi desu.
Today is Monday.
月曜日に新しい仕事を始めます。
Getsuyōbi ni atarashii shigoto o hajimemasu.
I will start a new job on Monday.
月曜日は朝から忙しいです。
Getsuyōbi wa asa kara isogashii desu.
I am busy from the morning on Monday.
毎週月曜日に会議があります。
Maishū getsuyōbi ni kaigi ga arimasu.
There is a meeting every Monday.
来週の月曜日は祝日です。
Raishū no getsuyōbi wa shukujitsu desu.
Next Monday is a public holiday.
先週の月曜日にその本を買いました。
Senshū no getsuyōbi ni sono hon o kaimashita.
I bought that book last Monday.
月曜日の午後なら時間があります。
Getsuyōbi no gogo nara jikan ga arimasu.
I have time Monday afternoon.
月曜日から金曜日まで会社で働きます。
Getsuyōbi kara kin’yōbi made kaisha de hatarakimasu.
I work at the company from Monday through Friday.
月曜日までに返事をください。
Getsuyōbi made ni henji o kudasai.
Please reply by Monday.
月曜日はちょっと都合が悪いです。
Getsuyōbi wa chotto tsugō ga warui desu.
Monday is a little inconvenient for me.
次の月曜日にまた会いましょう。
Tsugi no getsuyōbi ni mata aimashō.
Let’s meet again next Monday.
月曜の朝は電車が混んでいます。
Getsuyō no asa wa densha ga konde imasu.
The trains are crowded on Monday mornings.
店は月曜休みです。
Mise wa getsuyō yasumi desu.
The store is closed on Mondays.
月曜日、何時に集合しますか。
Getsuyōbi, nanji ni shūgō shimasu ka?
What time shall we meet on Monday?
FAQ About Getsuyoubi and Monday in Japanese
What does getsuyoubi mean?
Getsuyōbi (月曜日) means Monday.
How do you say Monday in Japanese?
Say 月曜日, pronounced げつようび (getsuyōbi).
How do you write getsuyoubi in hiragana?
It is written げつようび.
How do you write Monday in kanji?
Monday is written 月曜日.
Why does 月曜日 mean Monday?
Japanese weekday names come from the seven luminaries. Monday is the weekday associated with the Moon, so it is called 月曜日, the day of the Moon.
Why is 月 read getsu in getsuyoubi?
月 has several readings. It is read getsu in the compound 月曜日, while the standalone word for the moon is commonly read tsuki.
What does yōbi mean?
曜日 (yōbi) means a day of the week.
How do you say “on Monday” in Japanese?
Say 月曜日に (getsuyōbi ni). The particle に can sometimes be omitted when the time relationship is clear.
How do you say “every Monday” in Japanese?
Say 毎週月曜日 (maishū getsuyōbi), often followed by に when marking the time of an action.
How do you say “next Monday” in Japanese?
来週の月曜日 (raishū no getsuyōbi) means Monday next week. 次の月曜日 means the next Monday that comes.
How do you say “last Monday” in Japanese?
Say 先週の月曜日 (senshū no getsuyōbi).
How do you say “Monday morning” in Japanese?
Say 月曜日の朝 (getsuyōbi no asa).
Can getsuyoubi be shortened?
Yes. 月曜 (getsuyō) is a normal shortened form, and calendars often use the single kanji 月 or the notation （月）.
Does Japanese Monday also mean Moon’s day?
Yes. 月曜日 is the weekday associated with the Moon. English Monday also historically means Moon’s day.
Is Monday the first day of the week in Japan?
It depends on the system. Many business and ISO-style schedules treat Monday as day one, while some calendars display Sunday first.
What is getsuyoubyou?
月曜病 (getsuyōbyō) means the Monday blues: the lack of motivation or gloomy feeling that can follow the weekend.
Summary: Getsuyoubi Means Monday in Japanese
月曜日 (getsuyōbi) means Monday.
● Word structure
月 = Moon
曜 = luminary / weekday marker
日 = day
● Core image
The weekday associated with the Moon.
● Writing
Kanji: 月曜日
Hiragana: げつようび
Romaji: getsuyōbi / getsuyoubi
● Useful grammar
月曜日に — on Monday
月曜日は — as for Monday / Mondays
月曜日の朝 — Monday morning
毎週月曜日 — every Monday
来週の月曜日 — next Monday
月曜日までに — by Monday
● Abbreviations
月曜 / 月 / （月）
月 — the Moon
曜日 — a weekday
Monday — Moon’s day
Once that connection is clear, the word becomes more than a sound to memorize—it becomes a small piece of the history of the week.
References
- The Japan Foundation, Minna no Kyōzai: Dates and Days of the Week — standard weekday spellings and readings, including 月曜日 (げつようび).
- The Japan Foundation: に for Time — examples of time expressions and the note that に may be omitted after weekday names.
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Calendar Wiki: Names of the Weekdays — the seven luminaries and the transmission of the weekday system to Japan.
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan: The Beginning of the Week — Sunday-first traditions and Monday-first ISO numbering.
- Kanjipedia: 月 — meanings including the Moon, month, and one of the seven luminaries.
- Kanjipedia: 曜 — meanings related to the Sun, Moon, stars, the seven luminaries, and weekdays.
- Kotobank: 月曜病 — definition of the lack of motivation felt on Monday after the weekend.
