Mittag en 30 secondes
- Mittag means noon (12:00 PM) and is a masculine noun (der Mittag). It is a central time marker in German culture.
- Commonly used with prepositions like 'am' (at) and 'zu' (for/at lunch). It forms the basis for many compound nouns.
- The adverbial form 'mittags' (lowercase) indicates a habitual action occurring every day at noon.
- Culturally, it is associated with the 'Mittagspause' (lunch break) and 'Mittagsruhe' (midday quiet period) in Germany.
The German noun Mittag primarily refers to the middle of the day, specifically 12:00 PM. Etymologically, it is a compound of 'mitte' (middle) and 'Tag' (day), mirroring the English 'midday'. In the German cultural consciousness, Mittag is more than just a timestamp; it represents a pivotal transition point in the daily rhythm, often associated with the main meal of the day and a period of rest or transition. It is a masculine noun (der Mittag), which is crucial for correct grammar application.
- Temporal Point
- Refers precisely to 12:00 o'clock. Example: 'Es ist Punkt Mittag' (It is exactly noon).
- Temporal Period
- Refers to the time around noon, typically between 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM.
- Culinary Context
- Often used as a shorthand for 'Mittagessen' (lunch). Example: 'Was gibt es heute zu Mittag?' (What is for lunch today?).
"Am Mittag steht die Sonne am höchsten Punkt des Himmels, und die Schatten sind am kürzesten."
In older or more poetic German, Mittag can also refer to the cardinal direction 'South' (Süden), as the sun is in the south at noon in the Northern Hemisphere. However, this usage is rare in modern daily conversation. Understanding the nuances of Mittag involves recognizing its role in the German working day, where the Mittagspause (lunch break) is a strictly observed period of rejuvenation. In many regions, especially in Southern Germany and Austria, the greeting 'Mahlzeit!' is commonly used during this time instead of 'Guten Tag'.
"Kommst du heute zum Mittag vorbei? Wir haben frische Suppe."
- Compound Power
- Mittag serves as the prefix for dozens of essential words: Mittagsschlaf (nap), Mittagsruhe (quiet time), Mittagssonne (midday sun).
Using Mittag correctly requires an understanding of German prepositions and the distinction between the time of day and the meal. As a masculine noun, it follows the standard declension patterns for 'der' words. The most common preposition used with Mittag is an, which contracts with the dative article dem to form am (am Mittag).
- As a Time Reference: "Ich treffe dich am Mittag." (I will meet you at noon/midday).
- As a Meal Reference: "Was isst du zu Mittag?" (What are you eating for lunch?). Here, 'zu' indicates the purpose or occasion.
- As an Adverbial: By adding an 's', it becomes mittags, meaning 'at noon' habitually. "Mittags gehe ich oft spazieren." (At noon, I often go for a walk).
"Die Geschäfte schließen am Mittag für eine kurze Pause."
In professional settings, Mittag is the anchor for the Mittagspause. It is culturally significant to respect this time; calling a colleague exactly at 12:00 PM might be seen as slightly intrusive if they are known to take their break then. When scheduling meetings, one might say 'vor dem Mittag' (before noon) or 'nach dem Mittag' (after noon/lunch).
- Prepositional Nuance
- Am Mittag: Refers to the timeframe. Gegen Mittag: Refers to 'around noon'. Bis Mittag: Refers to 'until noon'.
You will encounter Mittag in almost every facet of German life, from the train station announcements to the casual office environment. It is a foundational word for time management and social organization. In a city like Berlin or Munich, you'll hear it in the context of lunch specials (Mittagstisch) advertised on chalkboards outside restaurants.
"Der Mittagstisch heute: Linseneintopf für 8 Euro."
In the workplace, the phrase "In die Mittagspause gehen" (to go on lunch break) is ubiquitous. You might hear a colleague say, "Ich bin dann mal am Mittag," which is a colloquial way of saying they are heading out for their break. On the radio, news programs often have a 'Mittagsmagazin' which summarizes the morning's events.
- Radio & News
- 'Das Mittagsjournal' or 'Die Mittagsnachrichten' are standard program titles for 12:00 PM broadcasts.
- Public Transport
- Schedules often change 'ab Mittag' (from noon onwards) during weekends or holidays.
For English speakers, the most frequent mistake is using the wrong preposition or confusing the noun with the adverb. Because English uses 'at noon', learners often try to translate 'at' literally. In German, 'at' for times of day is usually am (an dem).
Incorrect: "Ich esse in Mittag."
Correct: "Ich esse zu Mittag."
Another common error is the capitalization of the adverbial form. When you want to say 'daily at noon', you use mittags (lowercase). If you are referring to the specific noun, it is Mittag (uppercase). Mixing these up is a common spelling error even for intermediate learners.
- Gender Confusion
- Some learners assume time-related words might be feminine or neuter. Remember: der Morgen, der Mittag, der Abend (all masculine), but die Nacht (feminine).
Understanding Mittag is easier when you see it in the context of its temporal neighbors. German divides the day into several distinct blocks, and knowing where Mittag fits is key to fluency.
- Vormittag
- The period before noon (Late morning, approx. 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM).
- Nachmittag
- The period after noon (Afternoon, approx. 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM).
- Mittagessen
- The actual meal consumed at midday.
"Vom Vormittag bis zum Nachmittag ist der Mittag die goldene Mitte."
While 'Mittag' refers to the time, 'Süden' (South) is the modern word for the direction. However, in older texts, you might see 'Mittag' used for South. Similarly, 'Mitternacht' is the direct opposite (Midnight). In terms of meals, 'Lunch' is an increasingly common anglicism in business contexts, but 'Mittagessen' remains the standard term.
How Formal Is It?
Niveau de difficulté
Grammaire à connaître
Temporal prepositions (an, vor, nach, gegen)
Compound noun formation
Adverbial 's' suffix
Masculine noun declension
Exemples par niveau
Es ist Mittag.
It is noon.
Simple subject-verb-complement.
Ich esse zu Mittag.
I am eating lunch.
Usage of 'zu' for meals.
Der Mittag ist schön.
The midday is nice.
Masculine nominative.
Was machst du am Mittag?
What are you doing at noon?
Preposition 'am' (an + dem).
Guten Mittag!
Good midday!
Greeting form.
Ich habe am Mittag Zeit.
I have time at noon.
Time expression.
Das ist mein Mittagessen.
That is my lunch.
Compound noun.
Mittag ist um zwölf Uhr.
Noon is at twelve o'clock.
Defining a time.
Mittags schlafe ich oft.
At noon, I often sleep.
Adverbial 'mittags'.
Meine Mittagspause dauert eine Stunde.
My lunch break lasts one hour.
Compound noun: Mittag + Pause.
Wir treffen uns nach dem Mittag.
We meet after lunch.
Preposition 'nach' + dative.
Ich trinke mittags immer einen Kaffee.
I always drink a coffee at midday.
Adverbial frequency.
Vor dem Mittag muss ich arbeiten.
Before noon, I have to work.
Preposition 'vor' + dative.
Kommst du zum Mittagessen?
Are you coming for lunch?
Contraction 'zu' + 'dem' = 'zum'.
Die Sonne ist am Mittag sehr heiß.
The sun is very hot at noon.
Temporal 'am'.
Heute gibt es Pizza zu Mittag.
Today there is pizza for lunch.
Idiomatic 'zu Mittag'.
In Deutschland ist die Mittagsruhe wichtig.
In Germany, the midday quiet is important.
Cultural compound noun.
Gegen Mittag wird das Wetter besser.
Around noon, the weather will get better.
Preposition 'gegen' for approximate time.
Ich habe den ganzen Mittag gelernt.
I studied the whole midday.
Accusative of duration.
Der Mittagstisch in diesem Restaurant ist günstig.
The lunch menu in this restaurant is cheap.
Specific term for lunch specials.
Er rief mich mitten am Mittag an.
He called me right in the middle of noon.
Emphasis with 'mitten'.
Wir sollten die Planung bis Mittag abschließen.
We should finish the planning by noon.
Deadline with 'bis'.
Die Mittagssonne blendet mich.
The midday sun is blinding me.
Compound noun.
Seit dem Mittag regnet es ununterbrochen.
It has been raining continuously since noon.
Preposition 'seit' + dative.
Die Mittagshitze war kaum zu ertragen.
The midday heat was hardly bearable.
Compound noun with 'Hitze'.
Er pflegt mittags ein kurzes Schläfchen zu halten.
He is accustomed to taking a short nap at noon.
Infinitival clause with 'zu'.
Am Mittag herrscht in der Stadt reges Treiben.
At noon, there is a lot of hustle and bustle in the city.
Elevated vocabulary: 'reges Treiben'.
Das Meeting wurde auf den frühen Mittag verschoben.
The meeting was postponed to early midday.
Adjective 'früh' modifying 'Mittag'.
Trotz des Mittags war es im Wald kühl.
Despite it being noon, it was cool in the forest.
Genitive with 'trotz'.
Die Schatten verkürzen sich zum Mittag hin.
The shadows shorten towards noon.
Directional 'zu ... hin'.
Mittags ist die beste Zeit für Besorgungen.
Noon is the best time for errands.
Adverbial subject.
Wir haben uns am Mittag des 15. Juli getroffen.
We met at noon on July 15th.
Genitive date construction.
Die gleißende Mittagssonne stand im Zenit.
The glistening midday sun was at its zenith.
Literary adjectives.
Die gesellschaftliche Bedeutung des gemeinsamen Mittags schwindet.
The social significance of the shared midday meal is fading.
Abstract genitive.
Er verließ das Haus pünktlich zum Mittagsläuten.
He left the house exactly at the midday bell ringing.
Cultural reference to church bells.
Mittags, wenn die Welt in bleierner Schwere ruht...
At noon, when the world rests in leaden heaviness...
Poetic relative clause.
Die Effizienz leidet unter einer zu kurzen Mittagspause.
Efficiency suffers from a lunch break that is too short.
Prepositional object with 'unter'.
Jenseits des Mittags beginnt der Abstieg des Tages.
Beyond noon, the descent of the day begins.
Metaphorical usage.
Die Verhandlungen zogen sich bis weit über den Mittag hinaus.
The negotiations dragged on well past noon.
Extended temporal phrase.
In der Mittagshöhe seiner Karriere fühlte er sich unbesiegbar.
At the midday peak of his career, he felt invincible.
Metaphorical compound.
Die Mittagstille legte sich wie ein Leichentuch über das Dorf.
The midday silence laid itself over the village like a shroud.
Advanced simile.
In jener Region bezeichnete man den Süden schlicht als 'Mittag'.
In that region, the south was simply referred to as 'midday'.
Archaic/Geographic usage.
Die ontologische Qualität des Mittags als Moment des Stillstands...
The ontological quality of noon as a moment of standstill...
Academic register.
Man muss den Mittag nicht vor dem Abend loben.
One shouldn't praise the midday before the evening (Variation of a proverb).
Proverbial variation.
Die Mittagsscharte in der Bergkette diente als natürliche Sonnenuhr.
The midday notch in the mountain range served as a natural sundial.
Technical/Topographical term.
Die flirrende Luft des Mittags verzerrte die Wahrnehmung.
The shimmering air of noon distorted perception.
Descriptive precision.
Er reflektierte über die Vergänglichkeit des Mittagslichts.
He reflected on the transience of the midday light.
Philosophical context.
Die Zeremonie erreichte ihren Höhepunkt exakt zur Mittagsstunde.
The ceremony reached its climax exactly at the noon hour.
Formal temporal noun.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
Souvent confondu avec
Expressions idiomatiques
Facile à confondre
Structures de phrases
Comment l'utiliser
Mittags = every day at noon.
Context determines if you mean 12:00 or the food.
Astuces
Gender Memory
Remember that almost all times of day are masculine. Der Morgen, der Vormittag, der Mittag, der Nachmittag, der Abend. Only die Nacht is the exception. This makes learning the articles much easier.
The Mahlzeit Greeting
If you are in a German office, don't be surprised if people say 'Mahlzeit' instead of 'Hallo' at noon. It literally means 'mealtime' but is used as a general midday greeting. You can reply with the same word. It's very common in professional settings.
Precision
If you need to be exact, use 'Punkt Mittag'. This means exactly 12:00:00. For most social situations, 'am Mittag' covers the general period around 12:00. Germans are punctual, so 'Mittag' usually means 12:00 sharp.
Compound Words
Mittag is a 'Lego' word. You can attach it to almost anything related to the middle of the day. Mittagssonne, Mittagsschlaf, Mittagszeit. This is a great way to expand your vocabulary quickly without learning entirely new words.
Capitalization
Always check if you are using the noun or the adverb. 'Der Mittag' (Noun) is always capitalized. 'mittags' (Adverb) is never capitalized unless it starts a sentence. This is a common point of error in writing exams.
Respect the Quiet
Be mindful of the 'Mittagsruhe' if you live in Germany. Avoid doing laundry or vacuuming between 12 and 2 PM if your neighbors are sensitive. It's a sign of cultural integration and respect. Check your house rules (Hausordnung) for specific times.
Lunch Specials
Look for the word 'Mittagstisch' on restaurant signs. It's the best way to eat out cheaply in Germany. These specials are usually only available Monday through Friday. They often include a small soup or salad.
Preposition Choice
Use 'am' for 'at', 'gegen' for 'around', and 'zu' for 'for' (meals). 'Ich treffe dich am Mittag zum Essen.' This sentence uses both correctly. Practice these three as they cover 90% of use cases.
Regional Accents
In some regions, the 'g' in Mittag might sound more like a 'ch' (as in 'ich'). This is common in Northern Germany. Don't be confused; it's the same word. In the South, the 'k' sound is more prominent.
Office Life
The 'Mittagspause' is often taken together with colleagues. It's a good time to practice casual German. If someone asks 'Gehst du mit?', they are usually inviting you to join them for lunch. It's a key social moment.
Mémorise-le
Origine du mot
Old High German 'mittitago'
Contexte culturel
A greeting used specifically around noon.
A legally protected or socially expected quiet time.
The tradition of the main meal being at noon.
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
Amorces de conversation
"Was isst du heute zu Mittag?"
"Hast du am Mittag Zeit für einen Kaffee?"
"Wann fängt deine Mittagspause an?"
"Gehen wir zusammen zum Mittagstisch?"
"Ist es bei euch mittags auch so heiß?"
Sujets d'écriture
Beschreibe deine ideale Mittagspause.
Was hast du heute zu Mittag gegessen?
Wie wichtig ist dir die Mittagsruhe?
Was machst du normalerweise am Mittag?
Vergleiche den Mittag in deiner Heimat mit dem in Deutschland.
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsMittag is masculine (der Mittag). This is consistent with other times of day like der Morgen and der Abend. Only 'die Nacht' is feminine. You should always use 'der' or 'ein' with it. This affects the endings of adjectives and prepositions used with it.
Mittag refers to the time of day (noon). Mittagessen refers specifically to the meal eaten at that time. However, in casual speech, people often say 'zu Mittag' when they mean 'for lunch'. It's like the difference between 'noon' and 'lunch' in English. Both are used frequently.
The most common way to say 'at noon' is 'am Mittag'. This is a contraction of 'an dem Mittag'. If you want to be very precise about 12:00, you can say 'um zwölf Uhr'. If you mean 'around noon', use 'gegen Mittag'. 'Mittags' is used for recurring events.
While grammatically correct, 'Guten Mittag' is less common than 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'. In many parts of Germany and Austria, people say 'Mahlzeit!' as a greeting during the lunch hours. This is especially common in work environments. 'Guten Tag' is always a safe bet.
'mittags' with a lowercase 'm' and an 's' at the end is an adverb. It means 'every day at noon' or 'usually at noon'. For example, 'Mittags trinke ich Tee' means you habitually drink tea at that time. It functions similarly to 'morgens' or 'abends'.
The 'Mittagsruhe' is a cultural and sometimes legal concept in Germany. It is a quiet period, usually between 12:00 and 15:00. During this time, people are expected to avoid loud noises like mowing the lawn or loud music. It is especially strictly observed in residential areas and on Sundays.
Yes, but this is archaic or poetic. In the past, 'Mittag' was used for the cardinal direction South because the sun is in the south at noon. You might see this in old maps or classical literature. In modern German, you should always use 'Süden' for the direction.
The plural of Mittag is 'die Mittage'. It is not used very often in the plural, but you might hear it in sentences like 'Die heißen Mittage des Sommers' (The hot middays of summer). It follows the standard masculine plural pattern by adding an 'e'.
A 'Mittagstisch' is a special lunch menu offered by restaurants. It usually consists of a few selected dishes at a lower price than the regular evening menu. It is designed for workers who want a quick, affordable meal during their break. Look for signs saying 'Mittagstisch' outside cafes.
Both are used, but 'zu Mittag' is more common when referring to the meal (e.g., 'Was essen wir zu Mittag?'). 'Zum Mittag' (zu dem Mittag) is often used when referring to an event or invitation (e.g., 'Kommst du zum Mittagessen?'). Usually, 'zu Mittag' is the standard idiomatic expression.
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Summary
Mittag is the essential German word for noon. Mastering its gender (masculine), its prepositional use (am/zu), and its role in compounds (Mittagessen, Mittagspause) is fundamental for daily communication and understanding German time-management culture.
- Mittag means noon (12:00 PM) and is a masculine noun (der Mittag). It is a central time marker in German culture.
- Commonly used with prepositions like 'am' (at) and 'zu' (for/at lunch). It forms the basis for many compound nouns.
- The adverbial form 'mittags' (lowercase) indicates a habitual action occurring every day at noon.
- Culturally, it is associated with the 'Mittagspause' (lunch break) and 'Mittagsruhe' (midday quiet period) in Germany.
Gender Memory
Remember that almost all times of day are masculine. Der Morgen, der Vormittag, der Mittag, der Nachmittag, der Abend. Only die Nacht is the exception. This makes learning the articles much easier.
The Mahlzeit Greeting
If you are in a German office, don't be surprised if people say 'Mahlzeit' instead of 'Hallo' at noon. It literally means 'mealtime' but is used as a general midday greeting. You can reply with the same word. It's very common in professional settings.
Precision
If you need to be exact, use 'Punkt Mittag'. This means exactly 12:00:00. For most social situations, 'am Mittag' covers the general period around 12:00. Germans are punctual, so 'Mittag' usually means 12:00 sharp.
Compound Words
Mittag is a 'Lego' word. You can attach it to almost anything related to the middle of the day. Mittagssonne, Mittagsschlaf, Mittagszeit. This is a great way to expand your vocabulary quickly without learning entirely new words.
Exemple
Um zwölf Uhr ist Mittag.
Contenu associé
Expressions liées
Plus de mots sur general
ab
A1À partir de; dès. 'À partir de demain, je commence.' (Ab morgen fange ich an.)
abends
A2Le soir / les soirs. 'Je lis le soir.'
aber
A1Le mot 'aber' signifie 'mais'. Il est utilisé pour introduire un contraste entre deux idées.
abgelegen
B1remote
ablehnen
A2Refuser une offre ou une invitation. Elle a décliné l'invitation poliment.
abschließen
A2Verrouiller une porte avec une clé. Terminer avec succès des études ou conclure un contrat.
abseits
A2Abseits veut dire que quelque chose est situé loin de la zone principale ou du chemin habituel.
acht
A1Le nombre huit (8).
Achte
A1Huitième (nombre ordinal).
achten
A2Faire attention à quelque chose (avec 'auf') ou respecter quelqu'un.
