What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 朝 (morning), ご飯 and the particle を which marks the object. The verb 食べて comes from 食べる (to eat).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Depending on who you are speaking to, there are different levels of politeness. The form 朝ご飯を食べてください is the polite way to say "Please eat your breakfast". The form 朝ご飯を食べて is an informal way to say "Eat your breakfast". For a firm command, such as a parent speaking to a child, the form 朝ご飯食べなさい is often used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 食べて is the te-form of the verb 食べる (to eat). In this context, the te-form is used to create a soft request or command. You can make the request more polite and formal by adding ください to the end of the phrase, resulting in 朝ご飯を食べてください.
How do you pronounce it?
Asagohan o tabete
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, the phrase いただきます is spoken before eating breakfast. It translates to 'I humbly receive' and expresses gratitude to the plants, animals and people involved in the meal.
- The word for breakfast, 朝ご飯, literally translates to 'morning rice'. Even if you are eating toast or cereal, the term remains tied to the traditional staple of rice.
- While English uses 'eat' for all meals, Japanese speakers often use the verb 頂く (itadaku) instead of 食べる (taberu) to show gratitude to the food and the provider.
Examples in context
- あさごはんを食べてください。Please eat your breakfast.
- 冷めないうちに、朝ご飯を食べて。Samenai uchi ni, asagohan o tabete.Eat your breakfast before it gets cold.
- 早く朝ご飯を食べて、学校に行こう。Hayaku asagohan o tabete, gakkou ni ikou.Eat your breakfast quickly so we can go to school.
- もう少し、朝ご飯を食べてね。Mou sukoshi, asagohan o tabete ne.Eat a little more of your breakfast, okay?
Example conversation
Kenta is reminding Misaki to eat before they leave the house.
- 健太 Kenta美咲、もういい時間だよ。朝ご飯を食べて。Misaki, mou ii jikan dayo. Asagohan o tabete.Misaki, it's already time. Eat your breakfast.
- 美咲 Misakiあと五分だけ待って。Ato gofun dake matte.Wait just five more minutes.
- 健太 Kenta急いで！早く朝ご飯を食べて。Isoide! Hayaku asagohan o tabete.Hurry up! Eat your breakfast quickly.
- 美咲 Misakiわかったよ、今食べるね。Wakatta yo, ima taberu ne.I get it, I'm eating now.
