Esmaspäeva

Esmaspäeva is the genitive form of the Estonian word esmaspäev, which refers to Monday, the first day of the standard workweek in Estonia. In many calendar and scheduling contexts, esmaspäev is treated as the first day of the week, although some international formats may vary. The term esmaspäeva appears in phrases that require the genitive case, such as when describing time frames or possessions related to Monday.

Etymology and form: Esmaspäev is a compound built from esma- meaning first and päev meaning day. The genitive singular form esmaspäeva is used to indicate “of Monday” or “Monday’s” in Estonian grammar. For example, esmaspäeva hommikul means on Monday morning, and esmaspäeva lõpp can refer to the end of Monday.

Usage: Esmaspäeva is common in written and spoken Estonian when indicating specific days within a time frame or when discussing events tied to Monday. Examples include esmaspäeva jooksul (during Monday), esmaspäeva kohtumine (Monday’s meeting, more naturally expressed as meeting on Monday), and esmaspäeva hommikul (on Monday morning). In everyday language, speakers often use the dative-like form esmaspäeval to say “on Monday,” depending on the sentence structure.

Cultural and practical notes: In Estonia, Monday is typically considered the first workday of the week, with the weekend comprising Saturday and Sunday. This Monday orientation is reflected in schedules, school timetables, and business planning, where esmaspäev plays a central role in weekly planning.

Overall, esmaspäeva is a grammatical form used to refer to or modify Monday-related concepts in Estonian, reflecting the language’s case system and the cultural place of Monday in the weekly cycle.