maté

Matí is the Catalan noun for the morning, the period of the day from sunrise to noon. It is used to indicate time and activities that occur before midday, and it appears in common greetings and expressions such as bon matí (good morning) or durant el matí (during the morning). In everyday language, people refer to events scheduled “al matí” or to the first hours of the day as “el matí.”

Etymology and related forms: The word matí derives from Latin matutinus and entered Catalan through historical linguistic development from Latin into the Romance languages. It has cognates in other Romance languages, including French matin, Italian mattina, and Occitan matin. This family resemblance reflects the shared semantic field of the early part of the day across many European languages.

Usage and nuance: Matí is primarily a temporal noun describing the morning hours, but its usage can be expanded with modifiers such as primer matí (the early morning) or al matí, durant el matí (in the morning, during the morning). The term forms part of the basic daily cycle in Catalan, alongside tarda (afternoon) and nit (night). In cultural and literary contexts, matí is often used to evoke morning atmosphere or routines.