Breakdown of A mezzogiorno gli scolari mangiano alla mensa.
mangiare
to eat
a
to / at
alla
to the / at the (feminine singular)
il mezzogiorno
noon
lo scolaro
the pupil (boy)
la mensa
the canteen, the cafeteria
Questions & Answers about A mezzogiorno gli scolari mangiano alla mensa.
Why is it just a mezzogiorno and not al mezzogiorno?
For specific times of day like noon (mezzogiorno) and midnight (mezzanotte), Italian uses the simple preposition a without a definite article.
Why do we use gli for "the" pupils instead of i?
Why does the sentence use alla mensa instead of nella mensa for "at the canteen"?
Alla is the combined form of a (at/to) and la (the). When talking about being at a facility for its intended social purpose, like eating at a canteen (mensa), Italian typically uses the preposition a rather than in.
Is there a difference between scolari and studenti?
Yes. Scolari specifically refers to younger pupils or schoolchildren, usually in primary or middle school. Studenti is a more general term, most often used for older students in high school or university.
Learn A mezzogiorno gli scolari mangiano alla mensa and more in Italian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free