desayunar
/desaʝuˈnaɾ/
To eat breakfast in Spanish is to desayunar.
The verb desayunar is used to express the act of eating breakfast.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form desayuno is the first person singular present indicative, meaning 'I eat breakfast' or 'I have breakfast'. The form desayuné is the first person singular preterite indicative, meaning 'I ate breakfast'.
How do you pronounce it?
/desaʝuˈnaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying comer el desayuno by translating 'eat the breakfast' literally from English. Instead, use the single verb desayunar to express this naturally.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, desayunar can refer to two different events: a very light snack upon waking and a larger, second breakfast eaten around 11:00 AM.
- In some Latin American countries, the act of desayunar often includes savory items like chilaquiles or gallopinto, which would be considered lunch or dinner in the US.
- The verb desayunar literally means 'to un-fast'. The prefix 'des-' acts as a reversal, meaning you are breaking the fast you held overnight.
Examples in context
- ¿No vas a desayunar?Aren't you going to eat breakfast?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is going to desayunar.Tatoeba #4375589 by pchamorro, translation #3154892 by CK
- ¿A qué hora solés desayunar?What time do you usually eat breakfast?This sentence is useful for asking about the time someone usually performs the action of desayunar.Tatoeba #5047016 by don_ramon, translation #1144163 by CK
- ¿A dónde vamos a desayunar hoy?Where will we eat breakfast today?This sentence is useful for asking about the location where you will desayunar today.Tatoeba #5118706 by don_ramon, translation #2993781 by pne
- Por favor, desayune antes de la reunión.Please, eat breakfast before the meeting.
- Desayune temprano para tener energía durante el día.Eat breakfast early to have energy throughout the day.
- Desayuna rápido, vamos a llegar tarde.Eat breakfast quickly, we're going to be late.
- Por favor, desayuna bien antes de salir.Please, have a good breakfast before leaving.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are in their kitchen in the morning.
- MateoLucía, ¿quieres desayunar conmigo?Lucía, do you want to eat breakfast with me?
- LucíaSí, tengo mucha hambre.Yes, I am very hungry.
- MateoVamos a desayunar en la terraza.Let's eat breakfast on the terrace.
- LucíaMe parece una idea estupenda.That sounds like a great idea.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry desayunar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries desayunar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
