Frühstück
/ˈfʁyːʃtʏk/neuter
Frühstück is the German word for breakfast. Wiktionary also lists Zmorgen and Morgenessen.
Meaning: first meal of the day (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Frühstück | /ˈfʁyːʃtʏk/ | neuter |
| Zmorgen | Swiss German, feminine | |
| Morgenessen | /ˈmɔʁɡn̩ˌʔɛsn̩/ (Germany) | Swiss German, neuter |
The term refers to the first meal of the day. While Frühstück is the standard noun for the meal, the related verb frühstücken is used to describe the action of eating that meal.
What does it mean word for word?
Frühstück is a compound word consisting of früh, meaning early and Stück, meaning piece.
Which one should you use?
Frühstück is the standard neuter noun. In Switzerland, you may encounter the feminine noun Zmorgen or the neuter noun Morgenessen instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Switzerland, Zmorgen and Morgenessen are common terms for breakfast.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Use the noun Frühstück to name the meal itself, but use the verb frühstücken when you want to express the act of eating breakfast.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfʁyːʃtʏk/
Did you know?
- The Swiss term Zmorgen is actually a shortened version of the phrase zu Morgen, which means 'at/in the morning'.
- German uses the same word Essen for both the act of eating and the meal itself, as seen in Morgenessen, Mittagessen, and Abendessen.
- In some Swiss contexts, Zmorgen is treated as a feminine noun, whereas the standard German Frühstück is always neuter.
Examples in context
- Wo ist mein Frühstück?Where's my breakfast?This sentence uses Frühstück to ask about the location of the meal.Tatoeba #5474687 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2254584 by CK
- Er frühstückt oft hier.He often eats breakfast here.This sentence uses the verb form of Frühstück to describe a habit of eating breakfast.Tatoeba #608888 by virgil, translation #4285856 by CH
- Er frühstückt oft dort.He often eats breakfast there.This sentence uses the verb form of Frühstück to describe eating breakfast in a different location.Tatoeba #629859 by Zaghawa, translation #290089 by CK
- Ich möchte gerne ein Frühstück bestellenI would like to order breakfast
- Ich esse gerne ein Brötchen zum FrühstückI enjoy eating a bread roll for breakfast
- 716 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are in the kitchen in the morning.
- SarahHast du schon Frühstück gemacht?Have you already made breakfast?
- LukasNein, ich wollte erst Kaffee kochen.No, I wanted to brew coffee first.
- SarahDann bereite ich das Frühstück vor.Then I will prepare the breakfast.
- LukasDas ist sehr nett von dir, Sarah.That is very kind of you, Sarah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “breakfast” translations and entries Frühstück, Zmorgen, Morgenessen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Frühstück, Morgenessen, Zmorgen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
