Italian · Time, Numbers & Colors

"Noon" in Italian: mezzogiorno

il mezzogiorno

Say it: eel met-tsoh-JOR-nohmasculine · il mezzogiornonoun/il meddzoˈdʒor.no/

Noon in Italian is il mezzogiorno (eel met-tsoh-JOR-noh), masculine. A mezzogiorno means at noon. Buon mezzogiorno exists but many people still say buongiorno around midday. Lunch often starts near mezzogiorno.

Meeting time

Ci vediamo a mezzogiorno in piazza.
See you at noon in the square.
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How to pronounce mezzogiorno

Say it

eel met-tsoh-JOR-noh

/il meddzoˈdʒor.no/

Mezzogiorno stresses JOR: met-tsoh-JOR-noh. Double z is held.

"Noon" in Italian: quick reference

ItalianEnglish
il mezzogiornonoon / midday

Default noun.

a mezzogiornoat noon

Time phrase.

verso mezzogiornoaround noon

Approximate.

Mezzogiornosouthern Italy (region sense)

Capitalized in geography.

How to use mezzogiorno in real life

  1. 1Meeting time

    Ci vediamo a mezzogiorno in piazza.

    See you at noon in the square.

    A mezzogiorno.

  2. 2Hunger check

    A mezzogiorno ho sempre fame.

    At noon I'm always hungry.

    Routine.

  3. 3Call plan

    Ti chiamo verso mezzogiorno.

    I'll call you around noon.

    Verso mezzogiorno.

Mistakes English speakers make with mezzogiorno

Incorrect: Ci vediamo in mezzogiorno.

Correct: Ci vediamo a mezzogiorno.

Use a mezzogiorno for at noon.

Incorrect: La mezzogiorno è calda.

Correct: Il mezzogiorno è caldo.

Mezzogiorno is masculine.

Good to know

Il mezzogiorno is both clock time and a cultural lunch hour—shops may close after it for the break. Capitalized Mezzogiorno also means southern Italy in news and geography, so context matters.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Scheduling a quick lunch

  1. ChatPal

    Sei libero a mezzogiorno?

    Are you free at noon?

  2. You

    Sì, a mezzogiorno esco dall'ufficio.

    Yes, at noon I leave the office.

  3. ChatPal

    Allora pranziamo subito dopo mezzogiorno.

    Then let's have lunch right after noon.

  4. You

    Perfetto: mezzogiorno e un quarto sotto l'orologio.

    Perfect: quarter past noon under the clock.

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"Noon" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Noon" in Italian

A mezzogiorno or di mezzogiorno?

A mezzogiorno for at noon; di mezzogiorno can describe midday heat or light.

Is buon mezzogiorno common?

Heard, but buongiorno still covers midday greetings.

Noon vs afternoon?

Mezzogiorno is noon; pomeriggio is afternoon.

Southern Italy?

Il Mezzogiorno with a capital M in that sense.

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