Mahlzeit
meal / Enjoy your meal! (greeting)
Pronunciation
/ˈmaːlˌtsaɪ̯t/
Cultural Note
Mahlzeit has a unique dual function in German. As a noun it means 'meal,' but it's also used as a greeting around lunchtime — colleagues say 'Mahlzeit!' to each other between roughly 11 AM and 2 PM. It's essentially short for 'gesegnete Mahlzeit' (blessed meal).
📝 Example Sentences
Mahlzeit! — Danke, gleichfalls!
Enjoy your meal! — Thanks, likewise!
Wir nehmen drei Mahlzeiten am Tag zu uns.
We eat three meals a day.
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