They sound exactly the same, but they do very different jobs.
- Weak means not strong.
- Week means seven days.
Weak: not strong
Weak is an adjective. It describes a person, an object, a drink or an idea that is not strong.
The bridge was weak, so we crossed one at a time.
My tea is too weak. Please add another tea bag.
After the long race, I felt weak.
That is a weak excuse.
Week: seven days
Week is a noun. It is a time word.
There are seven days in a week.
I see my cousins every week.
The exam is next week.
We have a long weekend.
Easy way to tell them apart
Ask: am I talking about strength, or about time?
- Strength, or not being strong? Weak.
- Time, a calendar, or days? Week.
💡 The OddLingo Trick
Week has two Es, like the Es in weekend. Seven days, two Es.
If it is not the two-E week, it is weak.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Time? Use week.
❌ See you next weak.
✅ See you next week.
Strength? Use weak.
❌ The knot was too week to hold.
✅ The knot was too weak to hold.
Spelling check.
❌ I felt week after the long race.
✅ I felt weak after the long race.
Good to know
Weak came into English from Old Norse veikr, which meant lacking strength, around the year 1300. It is related to an older English word wac, meaning soft or bendy. Week is a different word with a different history.
Both words are also found inside other words. Weaken means make weaker, and weekday, weekend and weekly all come from week.
💬 In a conversation
Isla: My tea is weak this week.
Ben: Weak tea for a week?
Isla: Yes. I lost the strong tea bags.
Ben: That is a weak plan.