a la hora del almuerzo
/a la oɾa del almweɾθo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'at lunchtime' is translated into Spanish as a la hora del almuerzo.
This phrase is used to denote a specific time of day rather than the act of eating itself.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'at the hour of the lunch'.
Which one should you use?
While a la hora del almuerzo is used, a la hora de la comida is a very common way to refer to the midday meal in many Spanish-speaking countries, particularly Spain.
How do you pronounce it?
/a la oɾa del almweɾθo/
Did you know?
- In Spain, la comida is the main meal of the day and is eaten much later than the English 'lunch', often between 2 PM and 4 PM.
- The word almuerzo comes from the Latin verb admordere, which means 'to bite at' or 'to nibble'.
- Depending on the region, the time referred to by a la hora del almuerzo can actually be a light snack taken mid-morning instead of the main midday meal.
Examples in context
- Hoy a la hora del almuerzo, nuestro restaurante de siempre estaba cerrado por un funeral en la familia.At lunchtime today, our usual restaurant was closed because of a funeral in the family.This sentence shows how to use a la hora del almuerzo to specify a time when an event occurred.Tatoeba #1338651 by marcelostockle, translation #242489 by CM
- La reunión será a la hora del almuerzoThe meeting will be at lunchtime
- El evento se llevará a cabo al mediodíaThe event will take place at lunchtime
- El restaurante cierra a la hora de comerThe restaurant closes at lunchtime
- Nos vemos a la hora de la comidaSee you at lunchtime
- En el momento de almorzar, me gusta relajarmeAt lunchtime, I like to relax
- Nos vemos a la hora del almuerzo.See you at lunchtime.
- A la hora del almuerzo siempre hay mucha gente.At lunchtime there are always many people.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are discussing their plans for the afternoon.
- Alejandro¿Quieres ir al café a la hora del almuerzo?Do you want to go to the cafe at lunchtime?
- ElenaSí, me parece una idea estupenda.Yes, that sounds like a great idea.
- AlejandroPerfecto, te espero allí.Perfect, I'll wait for you there.
- ElenaHasta luego, Alejandro.See you later, Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, almuerzo, del, hora, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
