Do Brazilians Hate Mondays? Learn Portuguese with a Story
Use a playful listening prompt to learn phrases for how your week is going, without assuming everyone feels the same about Monday.
Real Life Portuguese · 7 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Why Brazilians Don’t Hate Mondays? is the title of a playful I Speak Portuguese episode. It invites you to listen for one speaker’s point; it does not prove that every Brazilian likes Mondays. People’s schedules and feelings about the start of the week vary.
Treat the title as a listening question, not a national rule
Before listening, predict one idea you might hear. On the first pass, focus on the general topic instead of translating every word. Afterward, write down one sentence about what you understood and separate your guess from anything the speaker actually said.
O episódio fala sobre o começo da semana.
The episode is about the start of the week.
Cada pessoa tem uma rotina diferente.
Each person has a different routine.
Ainda não entendi todos os detalhes.
I haven’t understood all the details yet.
Say how you feel about Monday
Use segunda-feira as a noun for Monday and say how the day feels to you. Segundas-feiras, in the plural, can describe Mondays in general. Add an adjective such as tranquilo (calm), cansativo (tiring), or corrido (busy) and change its form to match the person or day you describe.
A light tone helps when you are joking about a hard start to the week. If you are asking a coworker or new acquaintance, a neutral question about their routine is a comfortable way to begin.
Minha segunda-feira foi tranquila.
My Monday was calm.
Às vezes, as segundas-feiras são corridas.
Sometimes Mondays are busy.
Segunda não é meu dia favorito.
Monday isn’t my favorite day.
Ask someone about the week ahead
Ask Como foi sua segunda-feira? to hear about a Monday that has already happened. Use Como está sendo sua semana? to ask how the current week is going. The tense changes with the time frame, so include hoje, ontem, or esta semana when that helps make your meaning clear.
A follow-up question makes a short exchange more natural: ask what someone has planned or whether they have a busy week. Let the other person answer instead of assuming their work schedule or attitude toward the day.
Como foi sua segunda-feira?
How was your Monday?
Como está sendo sua semana?
How is your week going?
Você tem muitos planos para esta semana?
Do you have many plans this week?
Use the episode for a second, more focused listen
On your second listen, notice words about routine, time, and mood. If captions are available, check them only after listening once without written support. The phrases on this page are original examples for your own conversations, not quotations or a summary of unlisted details from the episode.
The source page includes the original audio or video and a short listening activity. Use Real Life Portuguese to hear common daily expressions and I Speak Portuguese for teacher-led conversation practice about your own week.
O que você costuma fazer na segunda-feira?
What do you usually do on Monday?
Estou animado para o resto da semana.
I’m excited for the rest of the week.
Não vejo a hora de chegar sexta-feira.
I can’t wait for Friday to arrive.
Put it into practice
Listen once for the idea, then describe your own Monday with one adjective and a routine phrase. Ask another person how their week is going without assuming how they feel.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “My Monday was calm”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
This guide is an original Real Life Portuguese adaptation of an earlier article from I Speak Portuguese.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Build on this guide with everyday expressions and native Brazilian audio. Choose iPhone, Android, or the web app.