der  Mittag

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈmɪtaːk/

☀️ What Exactly is 'der Mittag'?

Der Mittag means midday or noon, the middle of the day, around 12 o'clock. It's the time when the sun typically reaches its highest point in the sky.

Generally, the term covers a period around 12 PM, not just that exact moment. It often marks the time for the main meal of the day, das Mittagessen (lunch).

• Meaning 1: Time of day around 12 PM (midday, noon).
• Meaning 2: Point of the highest position of the sun.

⚠️ The word only takes the masculine article der. There's no risk of confusion with other articles.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of 'der Mittag' in Detail

The noun „Mittag“ is masculine. It is usually only used in the singular. The plural „die Mittage“ is very rare and mostly used in elevated or poetic language.

Declension (Singular)

Note: The Genitive and Dative forms ending in -e („Mittages“, „Mittage“) are less common and rather dated or formal.

Example Sentences

1. Um Mittag scheint die Sonne am stärksten. (Around noon, the sun shines the strongest.)
2. Wir treffen uns am Mittag zum Essen. (We meet for lunch at midday.)
3. Ich mache eine Pause über den Mittag. (I take a break over lunchtime.)
4. Die Hitze des Mittags war unerträglich. (The heat of the midday was unbearable.)

🗣️ How to Use 'Mittag'?

„Mittag“ is primarily used to describe the time of day.

• Time indication: Often used with prepositions like am (at a specific time), gegen (around), über (during the midday period). Example: „Wir essen am Mittag.“ (We eat at noon.) or „Die Geschäfte sind über Mittag geschlossen.“ (The shops are closed over lunchtime.)
• Mittagspause (Lunch break): Often refers to the break during work or school around noon. Example: „Ich gehe jetzt in die Mittagspause.“ (I'm going on my lunch break now.)
• Mittagessen (Lunch): The meal typically eaten at midday. Example: „Was gibt es heute zu Mittag?“ (What's for lunch today? - Short for „zum Mittagessen“)
• Fixed expressions: „zu Mittag essen“ (to have lunch), „am hellichten Mittag“ (in broad daylight / right at noon).

Compared to „Mittagszeit“ (midday period), „Mittag“ often emphasizes the point in time itself or a shorter period around it.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Mittag'

Article Mnemonic: Think of Der Mann (the man) who is hungry at midday. Or: Der Tag (the day) has a middle – der Mit-tag.

Meaning Mnemonic: The sun is at its highest point – like a king (der König) on his throne, in the middle (Mitte) of the day (Tag) -> Mittag.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

Similar, but different words:

• Nachmittag: Afternoon (time between noon and evening).
• Vormittag: Forenoon / late morning (time between morning and noon).

😄 A Little Midday Joke

Warum sollte man mittags nie Verstecken spielen?

Weil die Sonne immer rauskommt! ☀️

(Why should you never play hide-and-seek at noon? Because the sun always comes out! [Play on words: 'rauskommen' means 'to come out' both literally and in the game])

📜 Poem about Midday

Die Sonne steht im Zenit klar,
Der Mittag ist nun endlich da.
Die Glocken läuten, hell und rein,
Zeit für Pause, groß und klein.
Ein Mahl, ein Ruh'n, ein Augenblick,
Des Tages höchstes, hellstes Glück.

(The sun stands clear in the zenith,
Midday is finally here.
The bells ring, bright and pure,
Time for a break, for big and small.
A meal, a rest, a moment's peace,
The day's highest, brightest bliss.)

❓ Riddle Time

Ich teile den Tag genau entzwei,
bin weder früh noch spät dabei.
Die Sonne steht am höchsten hier,
welche Stunde mein' ich schier?

(I divide the day exactly in two,
I'm neither early nor late, it's true.
The sun stands highest in the sky,
Which hour do I imply?)

Solution: Der Mittag (Midday/Noon)

💡 More about Mittag

Word Composition:

The word „Mittag“ is composed of:

• Mitte: Meaning 'middle' or 'center'.
• Tag: Meaning 'day'.

So, literally: The middle of the day.

Cultural Note: In many cultures, midday is the time for the main meal of the day and is often associated with a rest period (like the 'siesta' in southern countries).