arbejdsdag

Arbejdsdag is a Danish term that refers to a day on which regular work is performed. It is used to distinguish days of work from weekends, public holidays, or other days off. In calendars, schedules, and contractual language, arbejdsdag denotes a normal day that counts toward working time, deadlines, and payroll.

Etymologically, arbejd is the Danish root for work and dag means day. As a compound noun, arbejdsdag is commonly found in everyday and formal contexts such as business calendars, project planning, and administrative notices. The plural form, arbejdsdage, is used when counting multiple working days (for example, “to arbejdsdage” means two working days).

Usage and duration vary by country, sector, and collective agreements. In Denmark and many Nordic countries, a full-time arbejdsdag typically involves around 7.4 to 7.5 working hours, with a midday break. A standard workweek commonly totals about 37 hours, though hours can differ by company policy and sector. When counting deadlines, phrases like “inden for X arbejdsdage” or “i to arbejdsdage” indicate time restricted to working days only, excluding weekends and holidays.

Arbejdsdag is primarily a scheduling and contractual term rather than a public holiday. It should not be confused with Labour Day or International Workers’ Day, which in Danish is usually referred to as a specific holiday on May 1st (often described as arbejdere kampdag or simply 1. maj). The concept remains central to planning, payroll, and legal deadlines where non-working days must be omitted from calculations.