Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pranzo | /ˈpran.d͡zo/ /ˈpran.t͡so/ |
masculine |
| seconda colazione | feminine |
The term is used to describe the meal eaten around midday. To say someone is "at lunch" or "having lunch", you use the preposition a before the noun, such as a pranzo. If you want to ask what is on the lunch menu, you can say Qual è il menu del pranzo? and to invite someone for an informal lunch, you can say Vieni a pranzare da me.
Which one should you use?
pranzo refers to the main midday meal, whereas seconda colazione refers to a mid-morning snack or a second breakfast.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun pranzo is masculine. It has a corresponding verb, pranzare, which means "to eat lunch".
How do you pronounce it?
pranzo is pronounced /ˈpran.dzo/. It has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
When do people say it?
Lunch in Italy often involves several courses: antipasti (appetizers), primi piatti (first courses), secondi piatti (second courses), contorni (side dishes) and dolci (desserts).
Did you know?
- In formal Italian settings, a pranzo di lavoro (business lunch) can last several hours and is considered a vital tool for building trust before signing contracts.
- The word colazione originally referred to a meal eaten by monks following an evening meeting, rather than a morning meal.
- Italian lunch culture distinguishes between primi (usually pasta or risotto) and secondi (meat or fish), meaning you often eat two separate main courses.
Examples in context
- Tom è a pranzo.Tom is at lunch.This example shows how to use pranzo to say someone is at lunch.Tatoeba #11728662 by Guybrush88, translation #2273025 by CK
- È ora di pranzo.It's lunch time.This example shows how to use pranzo to say it is lunch time.Tatoeba #2126412 by Guybrush88, translation #433692 by CK
- È il mio pranzo.That's my lunch.This example shows how to use pranzo to identify one's own lunch.Tatoeba #11728661 by Guybrush88, translation #2251097 by CK
- Ho prenotato un tavolo per il pranzo.I have booked a table for lunch.
- Il pasto di mezzogiorno viene servito alle 13.The midday meal is served at 1 PM.
- Andiamo a mangiare un pranzetto al bar?Shall we go eat a little lunch at the bar?
- Vado in cucina a prepararmi uno spuntino di mezzogiorno.I'm going to the kitchen to prepare myself a midday snack.
- 864 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Alessandro are talking in the office kitchen.
- SofiaAlessandro, cosa mangi per pranzo?Alessandro, what are you eating for lunch?
- AlessandroMangio un panino veloce.I am eating a quick sandwich.
- SofiaIl mio pranzo è un'insalata.My lunch is a salad.
- AlessandroSembra molto salutare, Sofia!That looks very healthy, Sofia!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lunch” translations and entries pranzo, seconda colazione, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries colazione, pranzo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
