kvardag

Kvardagur is the Icelandic term for a weekday or ordinary day, contrasted with weekends or holidays. The word can refer to any day of the working week—typically Monday through Friday—as a collective concept, rather than to a specific named day. In everyday language, kvardagur also conveys the notion of routine, work, or everyday life as opposed to special occasions or rest days.

In Icelandic, the days of the week have distinct names: mánudagur (Monday), þriðjudagur (Tuesday), miðvikudagur (Wednesday), fimmtudagur (Thursday), föstudagur (Friday), laugardagur (Saturday), and sunnudagur (Sunday). The term kvardagur is used when discussing weekdays in general or describing typical activities that occur during the working week. It is common in journalism, education, and social discourse to refer to “kvardagar” as a period of regular schedules.

The concept also appears in discussions of daily life and social rhythms, such as routines, commuting, or the pace of city life, highlighting the contrast with weekends and holidays. The word is employed in both literal and figurative senses to emphasize ordinary, routine aspects of life.

See also: Icelandic language; days of the week; weekend; holiday.