Mediodía
/medjodia/from spelling rules
Mediodía is the Spanish word for noon.
Mediodía refers to the specific time of day when the sun is at its highest point, specifically twelve o'clock in the daytime.
Which one should you use?
While mediodía refers specifically to 12:00 PM, la tarde refers to the entire afternoon period following it.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'at noon', use the contraction 'al' (a + el) with 'mediodía'.
How do you pronounce it?
/medjodia/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, mediodía is not just a time but a significant meal. The 'comida' eaten around mediodía is often the largest and most important meal of the day.
- If you are in a hot region of Spain, hearing 'la hora del mediodía' might be a warning about the most intense solar heat of the day rather than just a time check.
- The word shares a common ancestor with the English word 'mid', stemming from the same Proto-Indo-European roots that describe being in the middle of something.
Examples in context
- Hoy a las doce del día tendremos una reunión importante.Today at midday, we will have an important meeting.
- Nos vemos al mediodía.See you at noon.
- El mediodía es la hora de comer.Noon is the time to eat.
- Hace mucho calor al mediodía.It is very hot at noon.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are planning a lunch meeting.
- Alejandro¿A qué hora quieres comer?What time do you want to eat?
- ElenaPodemos quedar al mediodía.We can meet at noon.
- AlejandroPerfecto, me viene bien el mediodía.Perfect, noon works for me.
- ElenaMuy bien, nos vemos allí.Very well, see you there.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mediodía, CC BY-SA 4.0.
