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German Phrase

Es trifft sich jeden Dienstag.

/ɛs ˈtʁɪft zɪç ˈjeːdn̩ ˈdiːnstaːk/
Meaning"It meets every Tuesday."
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Meaning

The sentence states that a regular gathering or meeting takes place each Tuesday. It uses the impersonal 'es' with the reflexive verb 'sich treffen' to talk about scheduled events.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you want to describe a recurring appointment, club meeting, class, or any event that happens every Tuesday. It works in both formal and informal contexts.

✦Grammar Breakdown

EstrifftsichjedenDienstag.

1

Reflexive verb 'sich treffen'

The verb 'treffen' can be used reflexively as 'sich treffen' meaning 'to meet' (intransitive). The subject is often impersonal 'es' when referring to an event.

2

Accusative 'jeden'

The adjective 'jeden' is the accusative masculine singular form of 'jeder', agreeing with 'Dienstag' which is masculine.

3

Impersonal 'es'

In German, 'es' can serve as a placeholder subject for events or scheduled activities, similar to English 'it' in 'It meets every Tuesday.'

🗨In Conversation

A

Wann findet das wöchentliche Team‑Meeting statt?

When does the weekly team meeting take place?

Es trifft sich jeden Dienstag um 10 Uhr.

It meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Es trifft jeden Dienstag.

    Using the non‑reflexive form changes the meaning to 'to hit' or 'to meet someone' rather than an event meeting itself.

  • Es trifft sich jeder Dienstag.

    The adjective must be in accusative masculine form 'jeden' because 'Dienstag' is the direct object of the prepositional phrase.

  • Es trifft jeden Dienstag.

    Omitting the reflexive pronoun makes the sentence ungrammatical in this construction.

↔Alternatives

  • Wir treffen uns jeden Dienstag.

    We meet every Tuesday.

  • Das Treffen findet jeden Dienstag statt.

    The meeting takes place every Tuesday.

  • Jeden Dienstag gibt es ein Treffen.

    There is a meeting every Tuesday.

de

Cultural Tip

In German business and club culture, regular meetings are often announced with the impersonal construction 'Es trifft sich…' especially in written notices. However, in spoken language native speakers more frequently say 'Wir treffen uns…' or 'Das Treffen ist …'. Be aware that 'es trifft sich' sounds slightly formal and is common in announcements, flyers, or minutes.