German Phrase
Was gibt's heute zum Mittagessen?
Meaning
A casual way to ask what is being served for lunch today. It can be used in a school cafeteria, office kitchen, or at a friend's house. The phrase is informal but perfectly acceptable in most everyday contexts.
When to use
Use this question when you want to know the day's lunch menu – e.g., before heading to the canteen, when you’re invited to a colleague’s lunch, or when you’re curious about a family’s meal plan. It works best in informal or semi‑formal settings; in very formal situations you might say 'Was gibt es heute zum Mittagessen?'.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wasgibt'sheutezumMittagessen
Was
Interrogative pronoun meaning 'what', used at the beginning of a question.
gibt's (gibt es)
Contraction of 'gibt es' – the present tense of 'geben' used impersonally to mean 'there is/are'.
heute
Adverb meaning 'today', placed after the verb in most German questions.
zum
Contraction of 'zu dem', used here to indicate direction/toward something – 'for' in English.
Mittagessen
Neuter noun (das Mittagessen) meaning 'lunch' or 'midday meal'.
🗨In Conversation
Was gibt's heute zum Mittagessen?
What's for lunch today?
Heute gibt es Schnitzel mit Kartoffelsalat.
Today they're serving schnitzel with potato salad.
✕Common Mistakes
Was gibt heute zum Mittagessen?
The impersonal construction needs 'es' – use 'gibt es' or its contraction 'gibt's'.
Was gibt's heute zu Mittagessen?
The preposition 'zu' must combine with the article 'dem' → 'zum'.
Was gibt's heute zum das Mittagessen?
Do not add an extra article; the phrase already includes the preposition 'zum'.
↔Alternatives
Was gibt es heute zum Mittagessen?
What's for lunch today?
Was gibt es heute zu essen?
What is there to eat today?
Was steht heute zum Mittagessen auf dem Plan?
What's on the lunch menu today?
Was gibt's heute zum Essen?
What's for the meal today?
Cultural Tip
In Germany, the Mittagessen is often the main meal of the day and can be quite hearty – think sausages, potatoes, or a warm soup. In many workplaces, a "Betriebskantine" (company canteen) serves a daily menu that changes every weekday. When asking this question, a friendly tone and a smile are appreciated; Germans value punctuality, so asking a few minutes before the lunch break is considered polite.