der Tag
day
A period of 24 hours.
EXAMPLE
Die Woche hat sieben Tage.
The week has seven days.
der Tag
day
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Meanings
der Tag
daytime
The time when it is light; the opposite of night.
EXAMPLE
Am Tag arbeite ich und in der Nacht schlafe ich.
During the day I work, and at night I sleep.
der Tag
day
A specific date or a special occasion.
EXAMPLE
Der 24. Dezember ist ein besonderer Tag für Kinder.
December 24th is a special day for children.
eines Tages
one day
At an unspecified point in the future.
EXAMPLE
Eines Tages möchte ich eine Weltreise machen.
One day I would like to travel around the world.
Tag für Tag
day after day
Every day; repeatedly and regularly.
EXAMPLE
Er geht Tag für Tag den gleichen Weg zur Arbeit.
Day after day, he takes the same route to work.
an den Tag legen
to display
To show a certain behavior or quality.
EXAMPLE
Bei der Prüfung hat sie eine erstaunliche Ruhe an den Tag gelegt.
During the exam, she displayed remarkable calm.
zu Tage treten
to come to light
To become visible or known.
EXAMPLE
Erst nach langer Recherche sind die wahren Fakten zu Tage getreten.
Only after long research did the true facts come to light.
Usage tips
Compound words
'Tag' (day) is a very productive base word in the German language. You find it in many compound nouns such as 'Geburtstag' (birthday), 'Feiertag' (holiday), 'Alltag' (everyday life), or 'Wochentag' (weekday).
EXAMPLE
Der Montag ist mein liebster Wochentag.
Monday is my favorite weekday.
Time expressions
For time expressions with 'Tag' (day), the prepositions and case are important. You say 'am Tag' (during the day; dative) for the time of day, but 'jeden Tag' (every day; accusative) for a regular repetition.
EXAMPLE
Am Tag scheint die Sonne.
The sun shines during the day.
Context clue
The meaning 'Tageslicht' (daylight/daytime) is often used in contrast to 'Nacht' (night). The preposition 'am' ('am Tag', during the day) or the adverb 'tagsüber' (during the day) typically point to this meaning.
EXAMPLE
Viele Tiere schlafen am Tag und sind nachts aktiv.
Many animals sleep during the day and are active at night.
Typical collocations
When 'Tag' (day) describes a special occasion, it is often combined with adjectives like 'besonderer' (special), 'wichtiger' (important), 'schöner' (beautiful), or 'großer' (big/great).
EXAMPLE
Unsere Hochzeit war der schönste Tag in meinem Leben.
Our wedding was the most beautiful day of my life.
Fixed expression
The expression 'eines Tages' (one day) is a fixed phrase that uses the genitive. It means 'irgendwann in der Zukunft' (sometime in the future) and often comes at the beginning of a sentence.
EXAMPLE
Eines Tages werde ich fließend Deutsch sprechen.
One day I will speak German fluently.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'etwas an den Tag legen' (to display something) is a fixed unit. The 'etwas' is usually an abstract quality such as courage, patience, curiosity, or a certain behavior.
EXAMPLE
Er hat bei dem Projekt großes Engagement an den Tag gelegt.
He displayed great commitment during the project.
Fixed expression
The expression 'zu Tage treten' (to come to light) means that something hidden or unknown becomes visible. It is often used in a slightly formal or written context.
EXAMPLE
Bei der Renovierung sind alte Wandmalereien zu Tage getreten.
During the renovation, old wall paintings came to light.
Compare with
Tag vs Datum
date
Der Tag refers to the particular calendar day as a point in time or an occasion. Das Datum is the exact calendar indication, usually including the day, month, and year. When asking about when an event takes place, Tag may be suitable; for the exact information, you need Datum.
Tag
Der Tag unserer Hochzeit steht schon fest.
The day of our wedding has already been set.
Datum
Das genaue Datum unserer Hochzeit ist der 12. Juni 2026.
The exact date of our wedding is June 12, 2026.
In real life
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