dagen

Dagen is the Dutch word for days; it is the plural form of dag, the basic unit of time corresponding to a 24-hour period. In everyday Dutch, dagen is used to refer to durations (drie dagen, vijf dagen) as well as to specific calendar days when speaking about the near or distant future (de komende dagen) or about past days (gisteren en de dagen daarvoor). The term is foundational in Dutch timekeeping and in phrases such as werkdagen (working days) and dagen van de week (days of the week). Etymologically, dagen derives from Old Dutch dag, from Proto-Germanic *dagaz, cognate with the English day and the German Tag. The word is typically lowercase unless it begins a sentence or is used as a proper noun. In addition to its ordinary meaning, dagen may appear as a surname or given name in some contexts, though it is relatively uncommon. The concept of days is universal, and Dutch usage parallels that of other West Germanic languages in expressing durations and calendar references with the plural dagen.