Vocabulary for Days
Some of the most basic vocabulary in English includes words for the days, months, seasons, and time. Learning these terms will greatly help in understanding basic conversations in English. This list goes deeper than just learning the days of the week.
Basic vocabulary:
- Day – A period of 24 hours, especially from sunrise to sunset.
- We have seven days in a week: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
- Weekday – Any day from Monday to Friday.
- Weekend – Typically Saturday and Sunday, the days of rest for many.
- Week – Seven days, from Monday to Sunday.
- Month – A period ranging from 28 to 31 days, according to the calendar.
- Today: The current day.
- Yesterday: The day before today.
- Tomorrow: The day after today.
- Morning: The early part of the day, from sunrise until around noon.
- Afternoon: The part of the day between noon and evening.
- Evening: The later part of the day, from around sunset until night.
- Night: The period of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
Time-related:
- Chronology: The arrangement of events in the order in which they occurred.
- Dawn – The first appearance of light in the morning; daybreak.
- Dusk – The time before night when the light is fading.
- Duration: The length of time something lasts.
- Epoch: A particular period of time in history.
- Era: A period of time characterized by a particular set of facts or events.
- Interval: A period of time between events.
- Midday: the middle of the day; also known as noon
- Midnight – 12 AM, the middle of the night.
- Noon – Midday, 12 PM.
- Twilight: The period of time after sunset when the sky is still lit.
Special days:
- Anniversary: The yearly recurrence of the date of a past event.
- Birthday: The day on which a person was born or something began.
- Festival: An organized series of acts and performances, often celebrating a particular person or thing.
- Holiday: A day set aside by law or custom on which normal activities, especially work or school, are suspended.
- Vacation day: A day that someone takes off work. (I need to take a vacation day on Tuesday.)
- Wedding anniversary: The anniversary of the date of marriage (Often just said as “anniversary”)
Adverbs/adjectives:
- Daily – Occurring or done each day.
- Weekly – Related to a week or occurring once a week.
- Monthly – Happening or done once a month.
- Yearly/annually: Every year.
Descriptive:
- Beautiful day: Sunny, warm, and pleasant.
- Cloudy day: Covered with clouds.
- Dreary day: Dull, gloomy, and depressing.
- Eventful day: A day filled with many interesting or exciting happenings.
- Foggy day: Characterized by fog.
- Gloomy day – A day that’s dark or shadowy; overcast.
- Glorious day: Magnificent, splendid, and memorable.
- Lazy day – A day where one does very little, taking it easy.
- Miserable day: Unpleasant and uncomfortable, often due to bad weather.
- Mundane day: Ordinary and unexciting.
- Peaceful day: Calm, tranquil, and serene.
- Productive day: A day where you accomplish a lot.
- Rainy day – A day characterized by rain.
- Sunny day – A day with much sunlight.
- Stormy day: Characterized by strong winds and often rain or snow.
- Windy day: Characterized by strong winds.
General expressions:
For general periods:
- “In the morning/afternoon/evening”
- “In the spring/summer/autumn/winter”
- “In January/February”
- “In 2024”
- “In the future”
- “In a few days/weeks/months”
For specific points in the future:
- “In two hours”
- “In ten minutes”
Idiomatic expressions:
- In the dog days – Refers to the hottest periods of summer, traditionally Sirius’ heliacal rising.
- Day in, day out – Every day, repeatedly.
- Save for a rainy day – To keep something, usually money, for a time when it might be needed.
- A red-letter day: A momentous or auspicious day
- To see the light of day: To be born, to come into existence
- To have one’s days numbered: To be nearing death
- To make someone’s day: To bring someone great joy or happiness
- Golden day: A beautiful and sunny day.
- Black day: A dark and stormy day.
- A day late and a dollar short: To be too late and insufficient.
- Call it a day: To stop working or doing something for the day.
- Have a field day: To enjoy oneself greatly; to have a lot of fun.
- Have one’s days numbered: To be nearing death.
- Live for the day: To enjoy the present moment without worrying about the future.
- Once in a blue moon: Very rarely.
- Save the day: To rescue a situation from disaster.
Cultural or religious:
- Christmas Day: A Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
- Easter Day: A Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Festival – A day or period of celebration, typically for religious or cultural reasons.
- Sabbath – A day of religious observance and abstinence from work, kept by Jews from Friday evening to Saturday evening, and by most Christians on Sunday.
Using these words can help you discuss, describe, or plan for different kinds of days in various contexts. Remember, the context can change the nuance of each word, so feel free to explore how these terms fit into sentences or conversations.
Don’t forget to check out the articles on months, seasons, and time.
