midi
/mi.di/masculine
The English phrase "noon" is translated into French as midi.
midi is a masculine noun used to refer to midday. While the English word "noon" refers strictly to a specific point in time, midi can also refer to the midday meal or lunch, in certain contexts.
Meaning: midday (noun)
Which one should you use?
You may encounter douze heures in formal contexts or the informal expression midi pile to specifically mean "right at noon".
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to express that an event occurs at noon, use the preposition à before midi, forming the phrase à midi.
How do you pronounce it?
midi is pronounced /mi.di/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In France, the word midi is also the standard name for the southern part of the country, often referred to as le Midi.
- The word midi shares an ancient root with the English word 'day', both stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root for 'to shine'.
- In traditional French rural culture, the midi meal was historically the most important and largest meal of the day, often lasting much longer than a modern lunch break.
Examples in context
- Il vient à midi.He comes at noon.This sentence shows how to use midi to indicate a time of arrival.Tatoeba #6324163 by Aiji, translation #660441 by CS
- Je déjeune à midi.I have lunch at noon.This sentence demonstrates using midi in the context of a midday meal.Tatoeba #6268 by TRANG, translation #258971 by CK
- Je commence à midi.I'm starting at noon.This sentence illustrates using midi to indicate a starting time.Tatoeba #8447957 by Aiji, translation #5104773 by AlanF_US
- Le déjeuner commence à midi aujourd'hui.Lunch starts at noon today.
- La conférence débutera à douze heures.The conference will start at noon.
- Je te retrouve à midi pile au café.I'll meet you right at noon at the café.
- Le concert commencera à midi tapant.The concert will start right at noon.
- 110 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are planning their meeting time.
- ChloéOn se voit à midi ?Shall we meet at noon?
- GabrielOui, c'est parfait pour moi.Yes, that is perfect for me.
- ChloéOn se retrouve où à midi ?Where shall we meet at noon?
- GabrielDevant le restaurant, Chloé.In front of the restaurant, Chloé.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “noon” translations and entries midi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries midi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
