Asking and telling the DATE in Spanish, days and weeks

PHRASES:

Después de las dos de la tarde llega mi madre.	My mom arrives after two in the afternoon.
De las once en adelante, la tienda está cerrada.	From eleven on the store is closed.
Mi hermano llegó muy tarde, ya era de madrugada.	My brother got home really late, it was the early morning already.
Entre semana tengo mucho trabajo.	I have a lot of work during the week.
Los fines de semana visito a mis padres.	I visit my parents on the weekends.
Los domingos vamos a la iglesia.	We go to church on Sundays.
El 24 de diciembre cenamos a la medianoche.	On December 24th we have dinner at midnight.
Los días festivos más populares en México son el 15 y 16 de septiembre que se celebra la Independencia; y el 12 de diciembre, que es el día de la Virgen de Guadalupe.	The most popular holidays in Mexico are the 15th and 16th of September when Mexican independence is celebrated; and the 12th of December, which is the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Mis padres quieren que yo regrese temprano.	My parents want me to return early.
De lunes a sábado estoy en la oficina; de las ocho y media de la mañana hasta las cinco y media de la tarde.	I’m in the office from Monday until Saturday; from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 in the afternoon.
El día primero de cada mes debo pagar la renta.	I have to pay the rent on the first day of the month.

VOCABULARY:

día de festivo (m)		holiday
entresemana		weekdays
fecha (f)		date
fin de semana (m)		weekend
madrugada (f)		dawn
mañana (f)		morning / tomorrow

medianoche (f)		midnight
mediodía (m)		noon
noche (f)		night
siesta (f)		nap
tarde (f)		afternoon / late
temprano (adv)		early

GRAMMAR:

The days of the week, and related words are used diffeently between Spanish and English. Notice first of all that they are not capitalized in Spanish. In English we use the preposition “on” with the days of the week, but Spanish speakers use the definite article “the.” For example, “Siempre estoy en casa los martes.” (I am always home on Tuesdays.) Note, also, that with the ver SER, there is no article when using the days of the week, e.g., “Hoy es miércoles.” (Today is Wednesday.)