Partner A
Easier: Would you like to work four days a week? Why or why not?
Would a four-day week work in your job?
More challenging: Under what conditions could a four-day week benefit both employees and customers in your industry?
Jamesleads the live roundsAvalern · by SimmondsB15 min · English
The four-day week in English: vocabulary, dialogue and conversation questions
Editorially responsible: James Simmondspublished 28 Sept 2026AI-generated text (learn more – how we use AI on these pages)
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Question of the day
What stayed the same when the staff worked four days instead of five?
Show the answer – Open the answer to the question of the day
Correct answer: Their pay
You can find the answer in the English introduction.
Listen to the introduction
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Transcript
Hi, I'm Theo, and this is a two-minute conversation starter. Today: the four-day week – Jump to the vocabulary entry for four-day week. In 2024, a group of German companies tested it. Their staff – Jump to the vocabulary entry for staff worked four days instead of five, for the same money. At the end, most of the companies wanted to keep it. People said they slept better and had more time for their families, and the work still got done. But not everybody is a fan. Some managers – Jump to the vocabulary entry for managers say customers – Jump to the vocabulary entry for customers don't care about your free Friday. They want an answer today. And some employees – Jump to the vocabulary entry for employees said the four days felt more stressful – Jump to the vocabulary entry for stressful, because the same work had to fit into less time. So: dream or nightmare? Think about your own job for a moment. Would a four-day week work for you? Let's talk about it.
Vocabulary
- four-day week/ˌfɔː.deɪ ˈwiːk/
- Meaning: A working week with four days of work.
- Example: Would a four-day week work for our team?
- staff/stɑːf/
- Meaning: The people who work for an organisation.
- Example: Our staff can choose when to take their lunch break.
- managers/ˈmæn.ɪ.dʒəz/
- Meaning: People who organise the work of a team or business.
- Example: The managers want to discuss the new working hours.
- customers/ˈkʌs.tə.məz/
- Meaning: People or organisations that buy goods or services.
- Example: Our customers often call on Fridays.
- employees/ɪmˈplɔɪ.iːz/
- Meaning: People who are paid to work for someone else.
- Example: The company has twenty employees.
- stressful/ˈstres.fəl/
- Meaning: Making you feel worried or under pressure.
- Example: Doing all the work in four days could be stressful.
Dialogue
- LucyHave you seen the plan for a four-day week?
- BenYes. I'd love an extra day with my family.
- LucyMe too, but our customers still need help on Fridays.
- BenCould we take different days off?
- LucyMaybe. It depends on the workload.
- BenWe could have shorter meetings to leave more time for other work.
- LucyI completely agree. Let's ask the team what they think.
- BenGood idea. We need a plan that works for everyone.
Questions for your conversation
Partner B
Easier: Would you spend an extra day at home or go out? Why?
What would you do with the extra day?
More challenging: How might an extra day off change the way you balance paid work, caring responsibilities and personal interests?
Partner A
Easier: Is your team usually busy on Fridays? Why or why not?
Who in your team would find it harder, and why?
More challenging: How could an employer make a four-day week fair for staff whose roles require different levels of availability?
Useful phrases
- I've worked here since 2015.
- take a coffee break
- It depends on the workload.
- I completely agree.
- Could we take different days off?
- How would that work in practice?
Topic quiz
Five quick questions check vocabulary and listening comprehension.
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