Schönen Samstag
/ˈʃøːnən ˈzamstax/word by word
In German, "happy Saturday" is expressed as Schönen Samstag.
The phrase is used to wish someone a pleasant Saturday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "beautiful Saturday."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Schönen Samstag is a common, casual way to wish someone a good Saturday in person or via text. For more enthusiasm, you can use the informal Einen wunderschönen Samstag! If you need to be formal, use Ich wünsche Ihnen einen schönen Samstag! (I wish you a happy Saturday), Ich hoffe, Sie haben einen angenehmen Samstag! (I hope you have a pleasant Saturday!) or the polite Genießen Sie den Samstag! (Enjoy the Saturday!).
How does it change in a sentence?
Schönen Samstag uses the accusative case because it is an elliptical expression for "Ich wünsche dir einen schönen Samstag" (I wish you a beautiful Saturday).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃøːnən ˈzamstax/
Did you know?
- In some regions of Germany, the word Samstag is replaced by Sonnabend, which literally means 'Eve of Sunday'. This can cause confusion for learners who expect only one word for 'Saturday'.
- While English uses 'Saturday' to refer to the day, the German Samstag is a linguistic descendant of the word 'Sabbath'.
- In some northern regions of Germany, you might hear Samstagsgrüße used in text messages or cards. This turns the greeting into a plural noun meaning 'Saturday greetings'.
Examples in context
- Ich wünsche dir einen schönen Samstag.I wish you a nice Saturday.
- Allen einen schönen Samstag!A nice Saturday to everyone!
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia meet briefly at a cafe on a Saturday morning.
- MaximilianHallo Julia, schönen Samstag!Hello Julia, have a nice Saturday!
- JuliaDanke, Maximilian! Dir auch einen schönen Samstag.Thanks, Maximilian! A nice Saturday to you too.
- MaximilianVielen Dank, genieße deinen Tag.Thank you very much, enjoy your day.
- JuliaDas werde ich machen. Tschüss!I will do that. Bye!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (schönen, Samstag) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Samstag, CC BY-SA 4.0.
