¿desayunaste?
The English phrase "did you eat breakfast?" is translated into Spanish as ¿desayunaste?
This phrase is used to ask someone if they have already eaten their first meal of the day.
Which one should you use?
The form ¿desayunaste? is used for a single person in an informal context. To address a group of people, use ¿desayunaron? or ¿Han desayunado? For a single person in a formal context, you can use ¿Desayunó usted? or the alternative formal version ¿Ha desayunado usted? which uses the present perfect tense.
How does it change in a sentence?
¿desayunaste? is the second-person singular preterite, used when speaking informally to one person. ¿desayunó usted? uses the third-person singular conjugation to express formality. ¿desayunaron? is used when addressing a group of people.
When do people say it?
A common natural response to this question is Sí, ya desayuné (Yes, I already ate breakfast).
Did you know?
- The verb desayunar literally means 'to un-fast', coming from des- meaning 'un-' and ayuno meaning 'fast'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, asking ¿desayunaste? is a common way to show care or concern for a person's well-being, rather than just a literal inquiry about food.
- In Spain, the concept of 'breakfast' is often split into desayuno and almuerzo, where the latter is a second, more substantial breakfast taken around 11 am.
Examples in context
- ¿Desayunó usted?Did you eat breakfast?
- Sí, desayuné esta mañana.Yes, I ate breakfast this morning.
- No, aún no he tenido tiempo.No, I haven't had time yet.
- No, me olvidé de desayunar hoy.No, I forgot to eat breakfast today.
- No, ¿y tú? ¿Desayunaste?No, and you? Did you eat breakfast?
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking in the kitchen in the morning.
- DanielHola, Lucía, ¿desayunaste?Hi, Lucía, did you eat breakfast?
- LucíaNo, todavía no he comido nada.No, I haven't eaten anything yet.
- DanielYo sí, pero puedo prepararte algo.I did, but I can make you something.
- LucíaMuchas gracias, Daniel, eres muy amable.Thank you very much, Daniel, you are very kind.
