What is the first day of the week in Mexican Spanish?

[Larry G]

When I took Spanish classes in high school, I was taught the first day of the week in Spanish was Monday not Sunday as in American English, and indeed I saw calenders marks starting with Monday. However a friend of mine who is a native speaker insists it is Sunday as in the U.S. Which is it and is it country specific?

[Levike]

The week starts with Sunday in the US?

Really? How did this happen?

[linguoboy]

In the Judeo-Christian or Abrahamic tradition, the first day of the week is Sunday. Biblical Sabbath (corresponding to Saturday), when God rested from six-day Creation, made the day following Sabbath the first day of the week (corresponding to Sunday). Seventh-day Sabbaths were sanctified for celebration and rest. After the week was adopted in early Christianity, Sunday remained the first day of the week, but also gradually displaced Saturday as the day of celebration and rest, being considered the Lord's Day.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_days_of_the_week#Numbered_days_of_the_week

So perhaps a more germane question is how did the Slavs begin starting their week with Monday and how and when did this spread to most of the rest of Europe?

[Levike]

Okay.

Hmm, that explains the names of the Portuguese days.

So for example in US schools the first and the last days of the week are free whilst the 5 in between are school-days?

[TheStrayCat]

So for example in US schools the first and the last days of the week are free whilst the 5 in between are school-days?

Technically yes, but if you grew up accustomed to Monday being the first day of the week, you'll hardly notice this. You just need to be careful with calendars, otherwise, it doesn't really manifest itself. Even the word "weekend" is widely used in America corresponding to the European notion of a week.

[TheStrayCat]

Back to the topic: I asked a Mexican friend of mine and he told me that for them the week begins on Monday.

[linguoboy]

Even the word "weekend" is widely used in America corresponding to the European notion of a week.

Like a sausage, a week has two ends.