la hora del almuerzo
/la oɾa del almweɾθo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "lunch time" is translated into Spanish as la hora del almuerzo.
la hora del almuerzo refers to the time of day when a person typically eats their midday meal.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of la hora (the hour or the time), del (of the) and almuerzo (lunch).
Which one should you use?
In Spain, la hora de la comida is often used to refer to the midday meal, whereas la hora del almuerzo can sometimes refer to a lighter mid-morning snack depending on the region.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, la hora de la comida is a common way to refer to the midday meal.
How do you pronounce it?
/la oɾa del almweɾθo/
When do people say it?
In many Spanish-speaking cultures, lunch is the main meal of the day and occurs much later than in English-speaking countries, typically between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. It is customary in many Spanish-speaking countries to say Buen provecho to someone who is eating or about to eat.
Did you know?
- The word almuerzo shares an ancient root with the English word 'mordant', both coming from the Latin 'mordere', which means 'to bite'.
- Because la hora del almuerzo happens so late in many cultures, it is common to have a merienda or afternoon snack later in the day to bridge the gap to dinner.
- The phrase Buen provecho is often said to strangers in a restaurant even if you do not know them, as a gesture of politeness.
Examples in context
- Por favor, no me llame entre las 12:00 y la 1:00 PM. Esa es la hora del almuerzo y no puedo atender el teléfono.Please, do not call me between 12:00 and 1:00 PM. That is lunch time and I cannot answer the phone.
- La hora del almuerzo es a las dos.Lunch time is at two.
Example conversation
Two coworkers are talking in the office.
- AlejandroLucía, ¿ya es la hora del almuerzo?Lucía, is it lunch time yet?
- LucíaSí, Alejandro, podemos ir ahora.Yes, Alejandro, we can go now.
- AlejandroPerfecto, tengo mucha hambre.Perfect, I am very hungry.
- LucíaYo también, vamos al café.Me too, let's go to the cafe.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries almuerzo, del, hora, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
