French Phrase
Aujourd'hui, on est lundi.
Meaning
This is the most common way to state the day of the week in spoken French. It uses the pronoun 'on' paired with the verb 'être' to indicate the current day.
When to use
Use this phrase in daily conversation when someone asks what day it is or when you are planning your week. It is informal and natural for everyday use.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Aujourd'huionestlundi
Aujourd'hui
This adverb means 'today' and is never capitalized unless at the start of a sentence.
On est
This is the third-person singular form of 'être' used with the indefinite pronoun 'on', which is the standard way to express 'it is' for days in spoken French.
Lundi
Days of the week in French are not capitalized and do not require an article when stating the current day.
🗨In Conversation
On est quel jour aujourd'hui ?
What day is it today?
Aujourd'hui, on est lundi.
Today is Monday.
✕Common Mistakes
Aujourd'hui est lundi.
In French, you cannot use the verb 'être' directly after 'aujourd'hui' without a subject like 'on' or 'nous'.
Aujourd'hui, on est le lundi.
Do not use the definite article 'le' when stating the day of the week after 'on est'.
↔Alternatives
Nous sommes lundi.
It is Monday (more formal).
C'est lundi aujourd'hui.
It's Monday today.
Cultural Tip
In French-speaking cultures, the week officially starts on Monday. When speaking, the pronoun 'on' is used much more frequently than 'nous' to mean 'we' or to make general observations about the date or time.