German word

mittags

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈmɪtaːks/

Meaning

  • adverbat noon

Example

Ich mache mittags eine kurze Pause.

I take a short break at noon.

Illustration for mittags (at noon)

More examples

Wir essen mittags oft in der Kantine.

We often eat in the cafeteria at noon.

Core concept

The day's middle, when the morning turns into afternoon and a short break or meal commonly occurs.

Common phrases

  • mittags essen

    eat at noon

  • sich mittags treffen

    meet at noon

Similar words

gegen Mittag: Around noon, but not at a precisely stated time.
am Mittag: For an event or plan taking place at midday that day.
zur Mittagszeit: Throughout the broader period associated with lunch.
um 12 Uhr: Precisely at twelve o'clock.

Definition in German

Zur Mittagszeit; in der Zeit des Mittagessens, oft allgemein oder regelmäßig.

Word origin

Mittags developed from Mittag with an adverbial -s, historically related to the genitive form of the noun and meaning during the middle of the day.

Usage tips

  • Mittags often describes a regular time of day, whereas a specific appointment is more precisely expressed with um zwölf Uhr or another clock time.

Other meanings

  • around noonadverb
  • at lunchtimeadverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word