mercoledì
/ˌmɛr.ko.leˈdi/
The English phrase "hump day" is expressed in Italian as mercoledì.
The term is used to refer to the middle of the workweek.
Meaning: middle of the workweek (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 4th syllable: /ˌmɛr.ko.leˈdi/.
Did you know?
- While English speakers use the metaphor of a 'hump' to climb over the middle of the week, Italians use the name of a Roman god to mark the same point. The word mercoledì literally means 'the day of Mercury'.
- In Italian, the names of the days of the week, including mercoledì, are not capitalized unless they start a sentence.
- If you are waiting for the 'hump' of the week to pass, don't ask an Italian for the 'giorno del gobbo' or 'day of the hunchback'. While 'hump' implies a physical shape, the Italian word mercoledì is strictly tied to its celestial namesake.
Examples in context
- È mercoledì, la settimana è a metà.It's Wednesday, the week is at the halfway point.
- Finalmente è mercoledì, mancano solo due giorni.Finally it's Wednesday, only two days left.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are chatting in the office kitchen during a break.
- MatteoBuon mercoledì, Martina!Happy Wednesday, Martina!
- MartinaGrazie Matteo, siamo quasi alla fine della settimana.Thanks Matteo, we are almost at the end of the week.
- MatteoSì, il mercoledì è il giorno più pesante.Yes, Wednesday is the heaviest day.
- MartinaVero, ma ora il weekend è vicino.True, but now the weekend is close.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mercoledì, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mercoledì, CC BY-SA 4.0.
