Schönen Donnerstag
/ˈʃøːnən ˈdɔnɐsˌtax/word by word
In German, "happy Thursday" is said as Schönen Donnerstag.
The phrase Schönen Donnerstag is a common parting wish used when leaving a shop, a colleague or a friend. To make the phrase sound more natural and idiomatic, you can add noch to the end, resulting in Einen schönen Donnerstag noch!, which means "Have a nice rest of the Thursday!"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "beautiful Thursday" or "nice Thursday".
How does it change in a sentence?
Schönen Donnerstag uses the masculine accusative ending because it is an elliptical expression of "[Ich wünsche dir einen] schönen Donnerstag" (I wish you a nice Thursday). While Schönen Donnerstag is used as a greeting or wish, the nominative form Schöner Donnerstag is used to describe the day itself.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃøːnən ˈdɔnɐsˌtax/
When do people say it?
A common and natural response to this greeting is Danke, gleichfalls! (Thanks, likewise!).
Did you know?
- The word Donnerstag is actually a reference to a deity, as it originates from the 'day of the thunder god'.
- The phrase Schönen Donnerstag is almost never used as an initial greeting when meeting someone, but instead serves as a polite way to end a conversation.
- While Schönen Donnerstag is common, using the adjective schön to wish someone a nice day is part of a wider German cultural habit of 'wishing' specific timeframes, such as Schönes Wochenende for the weekend.
Examples in context
- Hab einen Donnerstag voller LachenHave a Thursday full of laughter
- Schönen Donnerstag noch!Have a nice Thursday!
- Ich wünsche dir einen schönen Donnerstag.I wish you a pleasant Thursday.
- Schönen Donnerstag allen zusammen!Happy Thursday to everyone!
Example conversation
Julian and Laura pass each other in a hallway at work.
- JulianHallo Laura, schönen Donnerstag!Hello Laura, happy Thursday!
- LauraDanke, Julian! Dir auch einen schönen Donnerstag.Thanks, Julian! A pleasant Thursday to you too.
- JulianVielen Dank, bis später.Thank you very much, see you later.
- LauraTschüss!Bye!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (schönen, Donnerstag) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Donnerstag, CC BY-SA 4.0.
