Spanish · Food & Drink

"Breakfast" in Spanish: desayuno

el desayuno

Say it: deh-sah-YOO-nohmasculine · el desayunonoun/desaˈʝu.no/

Breakfast is el desayuno (deh-sah-YOO-noh). It is masculine: un desayuno completo, el desayuno buffet. The verb is desayunar: desayuno a las ocho means "I eat breakfast at eight."

At a hotel

¿A qué hora sale el desayuno?
What time does breakfast start?
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How to pronounce desayuno

Say it

deh-sah-YOO-noh

/desaˈʝu.no/

deh-sah-YOO-noh, stress on YOO. Four beats: de-sa-YU-no. The y sound before oo is like "you". Keep every vowel audible.

"Breakfast" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
el desayunobreakfast

The morning meal as a noun.

desayunarto eat breakfast

Verb form: ¿Ya desayunaste?

el desayuno continentalcontinental breakfast

Hotel label for bread, coffee, juice.

el desayuno típicolocal-style breakfast

Regional morning plate on tourist menus.

How to use desayuno in real life

  1. 1At a hotel

    ¿A qué hora sale el desayuno?

    What time does breakfast start?

    Salir can mean when a meal service begins.

  2. 2Making plans

    Después del desayuno vamos al mercado.

    After breakfast we're going to the market.

    Después del desayuno is a clean time marker.

  3. 3Ordering

    Quiero el desayuno con huevos.

    I want the breakfast with eggs.

    Many cafés sell set desayuno plates.

Mistakes English speakers make with desayuno

Incorrect: La desayuno está incluido.

Correct: El desayuno está incluido.

Desayuno is masculine. Say el desayuno, un desayuno grande.

Incorrect: Yo breakfast a las nueve.

Correct: Yo desayuno a las nueve.

Use the verb desayunar. Yo desayuno means "I have breakfast."

Good to know

Latin American breakfast ranges from coffee and pan dulce to hearty plates with eggs, beans, and tortillas. In Mexico, desayuno can be early, with a second mid-morning bite sometimes called almuerzo in some regions—local timing varies. Hotels advertising desayuno incluido mean breakfast is in the room rate.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Planning tomorrow morning at a B&B

  1. ChatPal

    El desayuno se sirve a las ocho.

    Breakfast is served at eight.

  2. You

    ¿El desayuno incluye café?

    Does breakfast include coffee?

  3. ChatPal

    Sí, café y jugo con el desayuno.

    Yes, coffee and juice with breakfast.

  4. You

    Genial. Reservamos el desayuno.

    Great. We'll book breakfast.

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"Breakfast" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Breakfast" in Spanish

Is desayuno masculine or feminine?

Masculine: el desayuno, este desayuno abundante.

What is the verb for eating breakfast?

Desayunar. ¿Desayunamos juntos? means "Shall we have breakfast together?"

How do you pronounce desayuno?

deh-sah-YOO-noh with stress on YOO.

Is breakfast always light?

Not always. Many local desayunos are savory and filling; continental style is the lighter hotel version.

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