Portuguese Phrase
A gente se encontra ao meio‑dia.
Meaning
Literally “We meet at noon.” It’s a casual way to set a meeting time, especially for a lunch or midday catch‑up.
When to use
Use this phrase with friends, family, or coworkers in informal settings when you want to agree on a meeting at 12 p.m. It sounds natural in everyday conversation but would be too casual for formal business emails.
✦Grammar Breakdown
A genteseencontraaomeio‑dia
A gente (1st person plural)
In informal Brazilian Portuguese, “a gente” means “we” but it takes third‑person singular verb agreement.
se encontra (reflexive verb)
The verb “encontrar‑se” is used when people arrange to meet each other; the reflexive pronoun matches the subject.
ao = a + o
The preposition “a” contracts with the masculine article “o” to form “ao”, meaning “at the”.
meio‑dia (noun)
Literally “mid‑day”, it refers to 12:00 p.m. and is commonly used for lunch appointments.
🗨In Conversation
A gente se encontra ao meio‑dia?
Shall we meet at noon?
Claro! Vou levar o almoço.
Sure! I’ll bring lunch.
✕Common Mistakes
A gente nos encontramos ao meio‑dia.
With “a gente” the verb stays in third‑person singular, so the reflexive pronoun is “se”, not “nos”.
A gente se encontra às meio‑dia.
“às” is the contraction of “a” + “as” (feminine plural). Since “meio‑dia” is masculine singular, the correct contraction is “ao”.
A gente se encontramos ao meio‑dia.
Even though “a gente” means “we”, the verb must be singular: “encontra”, not “encontramos”.
↔Alternatives
Nós nos encontramos ao meio‑dia.
We meet at noon.
Vamos nos encontrar ao meio‑dia.
Let's meet at noon.
Vamos nos ver ao meio‑dia.
Let's see each other at noon.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, “a gente” is the go‑to informal pronoun for “we”, even among adults. It’s perfectly acceptable in spoken Portuguese and in casual writing (texts, social media). When you need a more formal tone, switch to “nós”. Also, “meio‑dia” is often associated with the traditional lunch break, so scheduling a meeting at this time usually implies a relaxed, possibly food‑related gathering.