Mittagszeit
/ˈmɪtaːksˌt͡saɪ̯t/
Mittagszeit is the German phrase for lunch time.
The phrase refers to the period of the day when people usually eat their midday meal.
What does it mean word for word?
Mittagszeit is a compound of Mittag, meaning midday or noon and Zeit, meaning time.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the preposition in to mean 'during' lunch time, the feminine noun Mittagszeit takes the dative case, resulting in the phrase in der Mittagszeit.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmɪtaːksˌtsaɪ̯t/
Did you know?
- In some traditional German regions, Mittagsruhe describes a period of quiet that follows Mittagszeit. During this time, it is considered impolite to make loud noises or vacuum your home.
- In many parts of Germany, the 'main' meal of the day is traditionally eaten during Mittagszeit rather than at dinner. This often means the evening meal is a lighter Abendbrot or 'evening bread'.
- The 's' in Mittagszeit is a 'Fugen-s', a linking element used to join two nouns. These letters often have no meaning of their own and act as a linguistic glue in German compound words.
Examples in context
- Das mache ich oft in der Mittagszeit.I often do that at lunch time.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use Mittagszeit with a preposition.Tatoeba #7780936 by raggione, translation #7780531 by CK
- Die Mittagszeit ist von 12:00 bis 13:00 UhrLunchtime is from 12:00 to 1:00 pm
- Können wir uns während der Mittagspause treffen?Can we meet during lunch break?
- Lass uns zu Mittag essen gehenLet's go have lunch
- Meine Mittagspause beginnt um 12:30 Uhr.My lunch break starts at 12:30 pm.
- Lass uns zu Mittag essen.Let's have lunch.
- Können wir uns während der Mittagspause treffen und über das Projekt sprechen?Can we meet during lunch break and discuss the project?
- Ja, das passt mir gut. Lass uns um 12:45 Uhr in der Kantine treffen.Yes, that works for me. Let's meet at 12:45 pm in the cafeteria.
- In der Mittagszeit ist es sehr laut hier.It is very loud here during lunch time.
- Ich brauche in der Mittagszeit eine Pause.I need a break during lunch time.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in a modern office.
- HannahHast du in der Mittagszeit schon gegessen?Have you already eaten during lunch time?
- JulianNein, ich bin jetzt hungrig.No, I am hungry now.
- HannahSollen wir zusammen etwas essen gehen?Should we go eat something together?
- JulianJa, das ist eine gute Idee.Yes, that is a good idea.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Mittagszeit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Mittagszeit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
