ombligo de la semana
/ombliɡo de la semana/from spelling rules
In English, the phrase 'hump day' refers to the middle of the workweek in Spanish as ombligo de la semana.
ombligo de la semana is a colloquial way to refer to Wednesday as the midpoint of the week, serving the same purpose as the English expression 'hump day'.
Meaning: middle of the workweek (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'belly button of the week'. It uses the metaphor of the navel (ombligo) being the center of the body to represent the middle of the week.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because it is a noun phrase, it is typically preceded by the definite article el when used in a sentence, forming el ombligo de la semana.
How do you pronounce it?
/ombliɡo de la semana/
Did you know?
- The phrase ombligo de la semana is more common in Latin American countries than in Spain, where people are more likely to just say mitad de semana.
- The Spanish word ombligo is a direct descendant of the Latin umbilīcus, making it a linguistic cousin to the English word 'umbilical'.
- Spanish uses the term ombligo for the 'navel' of things beyond the body, such as the 'center' of a city or the heart of a conflict.
Examples in context
- Ya estamos en el ombligo de la semana.We are already at the middle of the workweek.
- El ombligo de la semana siempre me cansa.The middle of the workweek always tires me out.
- ¡Feliz ombligo de la semana a todos!Happy hump day to everyone!
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are chatting at the office on Wednesday.
- LucíaHola Javier, ¿cómo va tu día?Hi Javier, how is your day going?
- JavierBien, aunque estoy cansado hoy.Good, although I am tired today.
- LucíaÁnimo, ¡hoy es el ombligo de la semana!Cheer up, today is hump day!
- JavierTienes razón, ya falta menos para el viernes.You're right, we're closer to Friday now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hump day” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, la, ombligo, semana, CC BY-SA 4.0.
