javët

Javët are a standard unit of time consisting of seven consecutive days, used in most contemporary calendars. In Albanian, the unit is called javë (plural javët).

A typical week includes seven days named differently across languages. In Albanian, the days are e hënë (Monday), e martë (Tuesday), e mërkurë (Wednesday), e enjte (Thursday), e premte (Friday), e shtunë (Saturday), and e diel (Sunday). The week cycle repeats, and many calendars start on Monday, in line with the ISO 8601 standard; others begin on Sunday depending on tradition or software settings.

Origins: The seven-day week has ancient roots in the Near East and was adopted through Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It became widely used in the Roman Empire and persisted in most of Europe and the wider world in the modern era. Some historical cultures experimented with different week lengths, such as eight- or ten-day cycles, but seven days became dominant.

Uses: Weeks organize work schedules, education, commerce, and planning. They are subdivided into days and tracked within months and years. ISO week numbering assigns a year, week number, and weekday, with Monday as the first day in most contexts.

In Albanian usage, javë is embedded in common expressions (within a week: në javë) and in calendars, planning, and timekeeping across education and government.