Mezzanotte

Italian word of the day

Pronunciation
English translation	Midnight
Origin	From the Italian words mezzo, half, and notte, night

How to use mezzanotte

Mezzanotte is a feminine noun in Italian, but it’s often used without the article.

The correct spelling is mezzanotte, not mezza notte!

È già mezzanotte.

It’s already midnight.

To translate at midnight, use a mezzanotte, with the preposition a. For example, you can say…

I fuochi d’artificio cominceranno a mezzanotte.	The fireworks will begin at midnight.
L’ho vista fare una passeggiata nel parco a mezzanotte.	I saw her taking a walk in the park at midnight.

To translate until midnight or till midnight, use fino a mezzanotte.

Abbiamo parlato al telefono fino a mezzanotte.	We talked on the phone until midnight.
Lorenzo ha studiato fino a mezzanotte.	Lorenzo studied until midnight.

Before midnight and after midnight are translated as prima di mezzanotte and dopo mezzanotte, respectively. Make sure you don’t add the preposition di after dopo, as that doesn’t sound right.

Raramente papà torna a casa prima di mezzanotte.	Dad seldom comes home before midnight.
Odio andare a dormire dopo mezzanotte.	I hate going to sleep after midnight.

Mezzanotte can be used with a definite article to describe repetitive activities that can occur at (or before, or after) midnight every day.

Da queste parti non succede nulla dopo la mezzanotte.

Nothing happens here after midnight.

Expressions

There are a number of common idiomatic expressions featuring the word midnight in Italian. These are:

• messa di mezzanotte (midnight mass)
• spaghetti di mezzanotte (midnight spaghetti)
• spuntino di mezzanotte (midnight snack)

Non siamo andati alla messa di mezzanotte, ma a quella del mattino.

We did not go to the midnight mass, but to the morning mass.

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