calendar_view_week Numbers
7 days of the week in Fon
The days of the week in fɔ̀ngbè have unique names, some inherited from French/Portuguese and others traditional. Here are the 7 days, from Tɛ́nɛ (Monday) to Sɛ́dí (Saturday) by way of Sun (Sunday).
schedule 4 min
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1
List
The 7 days
Tɛ́nɛMonday
TalataTuesday
AlabaWednesday
LamisiThursday
AximiFriday
Sɛ́díSaturday
SunSunday
2
Origins
Where do these names come from?
The Fon days have mixed origins:
Tɛ́nɛ TalataArabic origin (via Hausa)
Alaba / LamisiArabic via Swahili-Hausa
AximiYoruba origin
Sɛ́díEnglish « Saturday »
SunEnglish « Sunday »
3
In practice
Typical phrases
Hwetɛ̀nu wɛ ?
What day is it today?
Égbé Sɛ́dí wɛToday is Saturday
Sɔ̀ Sun wɛTomorrow is Sunday
Sun ɖè bǐEvery Sunday
Lan-fyán TalataNext Tuesday
Tip
The traditional Fon week had 4 days (the Vodun week). The modern 7-day week took hold with colonization and trans-Saharan trade.
One week, 7 words
Tɛ́nɛ, Talata, Alaba, Lamisi, Aximi, Sɛ́dí, Sun — learn these 7 words and you can talk about your schedule in Fon.
à ≠ ǎ
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