Word meaning · Bisaya days of the week
What Does ‘Huwebes’ Mean? English & Tagalog Translation
If you've seen huwebes in a Bisaya or Tagalog message and wondered what day it is — here is your answer, plus pronunciation, example sentences, and all seven Bisaya days of the week.
Huwebes = Thursday
Huwebes
HOO-web-bes
English
Thursday
Part of speech
Proper noun
Huwebes is Thursday — the fourth day of the work week in the Philippine calendar. It falls between Miyerkules (Wednesday) and Biyernes (Friday). Like all Philippine day names, it comes from Spanish and has been in daily use since the 16th century.
The Spanish word for Thursday is jueves, derived from the Latin Jovis dies — the day of Jupiter (Jove), king of the Roman gods. When Spanish missionaries arrived in the Visayas in 1565, they introduced the Spanish calendar, and jueves became huwebes in local speech. The spelling changed to match Bisaya phonology; the meaning stayed exactly the same.
Huwebes in Tagalog
Tagalog equivalent
Huwebes
Exact same spelling and meaning — Thursday in Tagalog is also huwebes.
Unlike most vocabulary, where Bisaya and Tagalog use different words for the same thing, the days of the week are identical across both languages. This is because all seven Philippine day names were borrowed from the same Spanish source at roughly the same time, across the entire archipelago.
If someone texts you “Kita ta huwebes” — whether they are Bisaya or Tagalog — it means the same thing: “See you Thursday.”
How to Pronounce Huwebes
HOO · web · bes
- —HOO — rhymes with “who”; the h is pronounced
- —web — exactly like the English word “web”
- —bes — rhymes with “less”
- —Stress on the second syllable: hoo-WEB-bes
A quick memory hook: think “who-web-less” and you're close. The middle syllable “web” is what most learners nail on the first try.
How to Use Huwebes — Example Sentences
Naa koy meeting karong Huwebes.
I have a meeting this Thursday.
The most natural way to say 'this Thursday' — karong Huwebes.
Kita ta Huwebes sa gabi.
Let's meet Thursday evening.
Arranging a meetup on a specific day. 'Sa gabi' = in the evening.
Sunod nga Huwebes pa ang resulta.
The results won't be out until next Thursday.
'Sunod nga Huwebes' = next Thursday. 'Sunod nga' is the natural way to say 'next' for days.
Miaging Huwebes mi nag-adto sa Cebu City.
Last Thursday we went to Cebu City.
'Miaging Huwebes' = last Thursday. 'Miaging' marks the past.
Unsang adlawa karon? Huwebes.
What day is today? Thursday.
Simple question and answer. 'Unsang adlawa karon?' is the standard 'what day is today?'
All 7 Bisaya Days of the Week
Every day name in Bisaya (and Tagalog) is a Spanish loanword. Knowing them all takes less than five minutes — the Spanish origins make them predictable once you have one or two anchored in memory.
| Bisaya | English | Spanish origin |
|---|---|---|
| Lunes | Monday | lunes (Moon) |
| Martes | Tuesday | martes (Mars) |
| Miyerkules | Wednesday | miércoles (Mercury) |
| Huwebes | Thursday | jueves (Jupiter) |
| Biyernes | Friday | viernes (Venus) |
| Sabado | Saturday | sábado (Sabbath) |
| Linggo | Sunday / Week | domingo (Lord's Day) |
Note: Linggo doubles as both “Sunday” and “week” in everyday Bisaya. “Karong Linggo” can mean “this Sunday” or “this week” depending on context.
Huwebes in Cebuano Daily Life
Cebuanos refer to days of the week constantly — scheduling family gatherings, clinic appointments, market trips, and church activities. Thursday is a mid-week anchor: past the heaviness of Monday and Tuesday, already in sight of the weekend.
In Catholic Cebuano households, Huwebes Santo (Holy Thursday, also called Maundy Thursday) is one of the most observed days in the religious calendar — part of Semana Santa (Holy Week). Church attendance is high and many businesses close. The phrase “Huwebes Santo” is understood by every Bisaya speaker.
Useful Thursday time expressions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'huwebes' mean in English?
Huwebes means 'Thursday' in English — the fourth day of the work week, between Wednesday (Miyerkules) and Friday (Biyernes). It is used identically in both Bisaya and Tagalog. The word comes from Spanish 'jueves,' which Spanish missionaries and colonizers introduced across the Philippines during the 16th century.
Is 'huwebes' Bisaya or Tagalog?
Huwebes is used in both Bisaya (Cebuano) and Tagalog — it is the same word in both languages. All seven Philippine day names are Spanish loanwords that entered the language during Spanish colonial rule (1565–1898). Because both Bisaya and Tagalog borrowed from the same Spanish source, the days of the week are one of the areas where the two languages are identical.
How do you pronounce 'huwebes'?
Huwebes is pronounced HOO-web-bes — three syllables. The first syllable 'hoo' rhymes with 'who.' The second syllable 'web' is exactly like the English word 'web.' The third syllable 'bes' rhymes with 'less.' Stress falls on the second syllable: hoo-WEB-bes. The 'h' at the start is pronounced — not silent.
How do you say 'this Thursday' in Bisaya?
'This Thursday' in Bisaya is 'karong Huwebes.' The word 'karong' means 'this' when referring to a specific time. 'Karong Huwebes' = this Thursday. 'Sunod nga Huwebes' = next Thursday. 'Miaging Huwebes' = last Thursday. These three forms cover the most common ways Cebuanos refer to Thursdays in conversation.
What are all the days of the week in Bisaya?
The seven days of the week in Bisaya (Cebuano) are: Lunes (Monday), Martes (Tuesday), Miyerkules (Wednesday), Huwebes (Thursday), Biyernes (Friday), Sabado (Saturday), and Linggo (Sunday). All seven are Spanish loanwords. 'Linggo' means both Sunday and the word 'week' — from Spanish 'domingo' (Sunday) and 'semana' (week) merged in Bisaya usage.
Sources
- Wolff, John U. A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan. Cornell University Southeast Asia Program, 1972. (Project Gutenberg #40074)
- Reviewed by native Cebuano speakers from Cebu City and Davao City, June 2026.
- Cultural context drawn from lived experience and community observation in the Visayas.