How to Say Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snack in Italian (and When to Eat Them)
Learn the four main Italian meal names and the typical times Italians eat them, with pronunciation and polite phrases for saying when you eat.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
In this lesson you will learn the Italian words for the four eating occasions of the day: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. The focus is on when these meals happen, not on what is on the plate. You will also learn the verb mangiare (to eat) and the preposition a to say at what time you eat. Italian meal times differ from many English-speaking countries, so the timing words matter as much as the names. All examples use standard contemporary Italian; regional differences are labelled where they matter.
By the end, you can…
- name breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack in Italian.
- say at what time I eat each meal using a + time.
- ask another person when they eat a meal.
- recognise that Italian meal times differ from English-speaking norms.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
la colazione
breakfast
lah koh-lah-TSYOH-neh
The first meal of the day, usually before 10:00. In some regions colazione can also mean a mid-morning coffee break, but the standard meaning is breakfast.
il pranzo
lunch
eel PRAHN-dzoh
The midday meal, typically between 12:30 and 14:00. It is often the main meal of the day in Italy.
la cena
dinner, evening meal
lah CHEH-nah
The evening meal, usually eaten late, often between 19:30 and 21:30.
lo spuntino
snack
loh spoon-TEE-noh
A small snack between meals. La merenda is a common alternative, especially for children's afternoon snacks.
A che ora mangi?
What time do you eat?
ah keh OH-rah MAHN-jee
A simple question using the informal tu form. Use mangia for formal or plural.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say when you eat a meal, use the verb mangiare plus a + time: Mangio la colazione alle sette. (I eat breakfast at seven.) Pranzo alle tredici. (I have lunch at one p.m.) Ceniamo alle venti. (We have dinner at eight p.m.) The preposition a combines with the article: a + le = alle, so alle sette means at seven. For a single o'clock use all'una: Mangio all'una. (I eat at one.)
When to use it
Use these phrases when talking about your daily routine or making plans. If you want to invite someone, say: Ti va di cenare insieme? (Do you feel like having dinner together?) To answer, use a + time: Sì, ceniamo alle otto. (Yes, let's have dinner at eight.) Remember that Italian often uses the 24-hour clock for appointments, so alle venti is normal for 8 p.m.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
A che ora fai colazione?
What time do you have breakfast?ah keh OH-rah fai koh-lah-TSYOH-nehFaccio colazione alle sette. E tu?
I have breakfast at seven. And you?FAHT-choh koh-lah-TSYOH-neh AHL-leh SEHT-teh eh tooIo faccio colazione alle otto. Pranzo all'una.
I have breakfast at eight. I have lunch at one.EE-oh FAHT-choh koh-lah-TSYOH-neh AHL-leh OHT-toh PRAHN-dzoh ahl-LOO-nahIo ceno alle venti. Faccio uno spuntino alle sedici.
I have dinner at eight p.m. I have a snack at four p.m.EE-oh CHEH-noh AHL-leh VEHN-tee FAHT-choh OO-noh spoon-TEE-noh AHL-leh SEH-dee-cheeA little context goes a long way
In Italy, lunch (pranzo) is traditionally the main meal and can last longer than in many English-speaking countries. Dinner (cena) is usually later, often after 19:30. In northern Italy, dinner may start earlier, around 19:00, while in southern Italy it can be later, around 21:00. A snack (spuntino or merenda) is common in the afternoon, especially for children. These are general tendencies, not rules for every household.
One thing to watch for
Using a + article incorrectly, for example saying a le sette instead of alle sette.
Try this instead: The preposition a contracts with the definite article: a + le = alle, a + la = alla, a + l' = all'. Say Mangio alle sette (I eat at seven) and Pranzo all'una (I have lunch at one). Do not say a le sette.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I have breakfast at seven' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Faccio colazione alle sette.
Faccio colazione is a common way to say I have breakfast. Alle sette means at seven. You can also say Mangio la colazione alle sette, which is equally correct.
2What is the Italian word for the evening meal, and when is it typically eaten?
Show a sample answer
La cena; it is typically eaten between 19:30 and 21:30, though times vary by region.
La cena is the standard word for dinner. In northern Italy it may be earlier, around 19:00, and in southern Italy later, around 21:00.
3Translate: 'We have lunch at one p.m.'
Show a sample answer
Pranziamo all'una.
Pranziamo is the noi form of pranzare. All'una means at one o'clock. You could also say Facciamo pranzo all'una, which is equally natural.
Learn the four meal names with their typical times, and use a + time (alle, all') to say when you eat. Remember that Italian dinner is usually later than in many English-speaking countries.
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