l'heure du déjeuner
The phrase "time for lunch" in French is l'heure du déjeuner.
This phrase is used to indicate that it is the scheduled time to eat the midday meal. To state that it is currently time for lunch, you can use the phrase with the verb être (to be) in the third person singular: C'est l'heure du déjeuner.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase l'heure du déjeuner literally means "the hour of the lunch", composed of l'heure (the hour/the time), du (of the) and déjeuner (lunch).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, it is common to say C'est l'heure du dîner. to mean "It's lunchtime.".
Did you know?
- In Quebec, saying C'est l'heure du dîner for lunchtime could cause confusion in France, where dîner refers to the evening meal.
- The word déjeuner literally means 'to break a fast', coming from the prefix dé- and the word jeûner meaning 'to fast'.
- In France, the midday meal is often a primary social and professional ritual, sometimes lasting two hours, making l'heure du déjeuner a more rigid boundary than in English-speaking cultures.
Examples in context
- C'était l'heure du déjeuner.It was time for lunch.This sentence shows how to use l'heure du déjeuner in the past tense.Tatoeba #5418878 by Aiji, translation #3734063 by CK
- C'est enfin l'heure du déjeuner !It is finally time for lunch!
- Il est l'heure du déjeuner, allons-y.It is time for lunch, let's go.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are finishing their morning work in an office.
- EmmaHugo, regarde l'horloge, c'est l'heure du déjeuner.Hugo, look at the clock, it is time for lunch.
- HugoTu as raison, j'ai très faim.You are right, I am very hungry.
- EmmaOn mange quoi aujourd'hui ?What are we eating today?
- HugoJe ne sais pas encore.I don't know yet.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries du, déjeuner, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
