It’s what begins with coffee, ends with dreams, and never seems long enough. In German, it’s der Tag. This is your German Word of the Day—simple, foundational, and one of the most common words in the language.

The noun Tag means day, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll hear it in greetings, dates, plans, and everywhere time is measured.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Tag (want to lock down gender without memorizing exceptions? Our video lesson gives you exactly what you need).

Pronunciation

Tag is pronounced [tahk]

• Like “talk” but with a sharp k at the end

• One short, clean syllable

• Stress on the whole word: Tag

Example sentences

• Heute ist ein schöner Tag.
  Today is a beautiful day.

• Ich habe morgen einen langen Tag.
  I have a long day tomorrow.

• Der Tag war echt stressig.
  The day was really stressful.

Nuance and usage tips

Tag is the core word in dozens of everyday expressions and compound nouns.

🗓️ Common compounds:

• Wochentag – weekday

• Feiertag – holiday

• Arbeitstag – workday

• Geburtstag – birthday

• Valentinstag / Muttertag / Kindertag – Valentine’s Day / Mother’s Day / Children’s Day

🕰️ Time expressions:

• jeden Tag – every day

• am nächsten Tag – the next day

• eines Tages – one day (someday)

• den ganzen Tag – all day long

• von Tag zu Tag – from day to day

👋 Greetings:

• Guten Tag! – Good day!

• Schönen Tag noch! – Have a nice day!

• Tag! – casual, shortened greeting (like “’day!”)

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• "Was machst du morgen den ganzen Tag?"
  What are you doing all day tomorrow?

• "Ich hatte einen richtig miesen Tag."
  I had a really bad day.

• "Heute ist mein letzter Tag hier."
  Today is my last day here.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Emma: Wie war dein Tag?
Leo: Ganz okay. Viel Arbeit, aber kein Stress.
Emma: Und jetzt Feierabend?
Leo: Ja – endlich!

Translation:
Emma: How was your day?
Leo: Pretty okay. Lots of work, but not stressful.
Emma: And now done for the day?
Leo: Yes—finally!

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Der Tag beginnt früh.
The day begins early.

Accusative:
Ich genieße den Tag am See.
I’m enjoying the day at the lake.

Dative:
Am besten entspanne ich mich an dem Tag danach.
I relax best on the day after.

Genitive:
Am Ende des Tages war alles gut.
At the end of the day, everything was fine.

Word variations and language tidbits

• Tagesablauf – daily routine

• Tageslicht – daylight

• Tageszeit – time of day

• Tagtraum – daydream

• Tageskarte – day pass (e.g., for transit or museums)

• Tagesausflug – day trip

📆 Fun fact: In German, Tag is often used in poetic or philosophical phrases—„Jeder Tag zählt“ (“Every day counts”), „Tag für Tag“ (“day after day”), and „Es war einmal, eines Tages…“ (“Once upon a time, one day…”).

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Tag
🎥 Want to learn German day by day? Our free video course teaches the 1000 most useful nouns with context, structure, and memory-friendly examples.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Tal means? Some Tage begin in one.
And what about Tagebuch? That’s where your Tag becomes a memory.