Werktag

Werktag is a term used in German and Dutch to designate a day on which normal business activity takes place. In both languages, it roughly corresponds to what English speakers call a working day or weekday: the days when offices are open and not a weekend or holiday.

In German, Werktag refers to a weekday, typically Monday through Friday, excluding weekends and public holidays. The plural is Werktage, and the adverbial form werktags means on weekdays. In legal and commercial texts, time limits are often stated in Werktage, for example “in zwei Werktagen” (within two working days) or “von Werktagen an” (on business days).

In Dutch, the term is werkdag (plural werkdagen). It likewise denotes days on which most businesses are open. Phrases include op werkdagen (on business days) and binnen drie werkdagen (within three working days). Holidays (feestdagen) and weekends are not counted as werkdagen, though sector-specific exemptions may apply.

Common usages include shipping estimates, payroll, and regulatory deadlines, where the distinction between calendar days and working days affects timing. The exact set of holidays and whether a Saturday counts as a working day depend on the country and sector.