Breakfast in Different Languages
Discover 'Breakfast' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Breakfast, the first meal of the day, is a significant and culturally important concept around the world. It provides the necessary energy and nutrition to kick-start our day and has been associated with numerous health benefits. The word 'breakfast' itself is quite revealing, as it literally means to break the fast after a long night of sleeping. But what about its translations in different languages? Understanding the word in various languages can offer fascinating insights into cultural differences and similarities.
For instance, in Spanish, 'desayuno' combines 'de' (of) and 'ayuno' (fasting), reflecting the same meaning as in English. In French, 'petit déjeuner' translates to 'little lunch' or 'small break of day', highlighting the importance of this meal in French culture. In Mandarin, 'zao fan' (早饭) means 'early meal', emphasizing the significance of eating early in the day. In Japanese, 'asagohan' (朝ごはん) also signifies 'morning meal'.
Discover more intriguing translations of 'breakfast' in different languages and cultures by scrolling down!
Breakfast
Breakfast in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | ontbyt | ||
| The Afrikaans word "ontbyt" derives from the Dutch "ontbijt", which can also mean "snack" or "morning snack, | |||
| Amharic | ቁርስ | ||
| "ቁርስ" derives from the Proto-Semitic root *ʾKL to eat. | |||
| Hausa | karin kumallo | ||
| Karin kumallo is a Hausa word which literally translates to 'morning food' and is used to refer to the meal eaten at the beginning of the day. | |||
| Igbo | nri ụtụtụ | ||
| Malagasy | sakafo maraina | ||
| The Malagasy word for breakfast, **sakafo maraina**, literally means 'morning food'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kadzutsa | ||
| The word "kadzutsa" is derived from the Chichewa word "kadya" meaning "to eat". | |||
| Shona | chisvusvuro | ||
| The word "chisvusvuro" can also refer to the utensils used for serving breakfast in Shona. | |||
| Somali | quraac | ||
| Somali term for “breakfast,” derived from Oromo “k’oraac,” ultimately from Egyptian Coptic “khourak” meaning “meal.” | |||
| Sesotho | lijo tsa hoseng | ||
| Swahili | kiamsha kinywa | ||
| Kiamsha kinywa translates to "wake up mouth", referring to the breaking of the overnight fast. | |||
| Xhosa | isidlo sakusasa | ||
| The Xhosa word "isidlo sakusasa" literally translates to "the meal of the morning". | |||
| Yoruba | aro | ||
| The Yoruba word "aro", meaning "breakfast," also denotes "a meal eaten in the morning". | |||
| Zulu | ibhulakufesi | ||
| "Ibhulakufesi" suggests that breakfast is taken in the morning when one has forgotten to eat supper the previous evening. | |||
| Bambara | daraka | ||
| Ewe | ŋdi nuɖuɖu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ifunguro rya mu gitondo | ||
| Lingala | bilei ya ntongo | ||
| Luganda | eky'enkya | ||
| Sepedi | difihlolo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | anɔpa aduane | ||
Breakfast in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | وجبة افطار | ||
| The word "وجبة افطار" comes from the Arabic root "فطر" which means "to break", and can also refer to the meal that breaks the fast during Ramadan. | |||
| Hebrew | ארוחת בוקר | ||
| The word ארוחת בוקר (“breakfast”) is a relatively modern Hebrew term coined in the early 20th century from the Hebrew words ארוחה (“meal”) and בוקר (“morning”). | |||
| Pashto | ناری | ||
| The word "ناری" in Pashto originally meant "morning". | |||
| Arabic | وجبة افطار | ||
| The word "وجبة افطار" comes from the Arabic root "فطر" which means "to break", and can also refer to the meal that breaks the fast during Ramadan. | |||
Breakfast in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mëngjes | ||
| Although mëngjes literally means "good morning," it came to be used for breakfast because it is typically eaten in the morning. | |||
| Basque | gosaria | ||
| The word 'gosaria' is derived from the Basque words 'gose' (hunger) and 'ari' (to do), indicating the act of satisfying hunger in the morning. | |||
| Catalan | esmorzar | ||
| The word "esmorzar" in Catalan comes from the Latin "exmorsum", meaning "to bite off", and is also used to refer to the first meal of the day. | |||
| Croatian | doručak | ||
| "Doručak" is also used informally to refer to someone who oversleeps, as if they've had too much breakfast. | |||
| Danish | morgenmad | ||
| Morgenmad, the Danish word for breakfast, literally means "morning food". | |||
| Dutch | ontbijt | ||
| The word "ontbijt" is derived from the Middle Dutch "ontbēten," meaning "to break the fast." | |||
| English | breakfast | ||
| The word 'breakfast' literally means 'break a fast', alluding to the meal that ends the overnight fast. | |||
| French | déjeuner | ||
| The word “déjeuner” originates from the Latin word “disjejunare”, meaning “to break the fast”. | |||
| Frisian | moarnsiten | ||
| Galician | almorzo | ||
| "Almorzo" en gallego comparte etimología y tiene como significado alternativo "comida". | |||
| German | frühstück | ||
| "Frühstück" literally means "early piece" in German, referring to the first meal of the day. | |||
| Icelandic | morgunmatur | ||
| The word 'morgunmatur' literally translates to 'morning food', with 'morgun' meaning 'morning' and 'matur' meaning 'food'. | |||
| Irish | bricfeasta | ||
| The word "bricfeasta" in Irish derives from an old Germanic root that also gives us the English word "break fast". | |||
| Italian | prima colazione | ||
| In Italian, "prima colazione" literally means "first collation" (from Latin "collatio"), and refers to a light morning meal. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kaffi | ||
| Kaffi can also refer to coffee, the main beverage consumed during breakfast in Luxembourg. | |||
| Maltese | kolazzjon | ||
| The word kolazzjon is a borrowing from Italian "colazione" and is itself derived from the Latin "collatio" (meeting). | |||
| Norwegian | frokost | ||
| The word 'frokost' derives from the Old Norse 'frokost', meaning 'early meal'. In Danish, it refers to both breakfast and lunch. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | café da manhã | ||
| In Portuguese, "café da manhã" literally means "coffee of the morning" and can also refer to a light snack eaten in the afternoon. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | bracaist | ||
| The word "bracaist" is also used to refer to the porridge (usually oatmeal) traditionally eaten at breakfast and as a meal at any time of the day. | |||
| Spanish | desayuno | ||
| In Spanish, "desayuno" comes from the verb "desayunar," which means "to break the fast," referring to the first meal of the day after a night of fasting. | |||
| Swedish | frukost | ||
| In Swedish, 'frukost' is a compound of two words 'fru' ('lady' or 'mistress') and 'kost' ('board'), originally denoting a morning meal specifically for women. | |||
| Welsh | brecwast | ||
| In Welsh and Old English, "brecwast" denoted not only "breakfast" but also the "breaking of the fast" after a night of sleep | |||
Breakfast in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | сняданак | ||
| The word | |||
| Bosnian | doručak | ||
| "Doručak" derives from "doručiti," meaning to "carry over" or "deliver," and often refers to the morning meal brought to one's bed. | |||
| Bulgarian | закуска | ||
| The word "закуска" can also refer to a light snack or appetizer eaten between meals. | |||
| Czech | snídaně | ||
| The etymology of the Czech word "snídaně" is unclear; some suggest it derives from "sníti daň", meaning to "eat a meal after paying a tax". | |||
| Estonian | hommikusöök | ||
| "Hommikusöök" derives from the Estonian words "hommik" (morning) and "söök" (meal, food). | |||
| Finnish | aamiainen | ||
| The word "aamiainen" originates from the Proto-Uralic word "*aam" meaning "early morning" and the Proto-Uralic word "*ainen" meaning "meal" or "food". | |||
| Hungarian | reggeli | ||
| The word "reggeli" is the short form of the archaic word "reggelö" which originates from the verb "reggellik" meaning "to get up in the morning". | |||
| Latvian | brokastis | ||
| The Latvian word "brokastis" derives from the German "Frühstück", which itself derives from the Middle High German "vrüestück" meaning "early piece"} | |||
| Lithuanian | pusryčiai | ||
| "Pusryčiai" comes from the verb "pusryčiauti", meaning "to break the fast". | |||
| Macedonian | појадок | ||
| "Појадок" comes from the Proto-Slavic *pojadъkъ, meaning "eating" or "taking in". | |||
| Polish | śniadanie | ||
| The word śniadanie comes from the Old Polish word śniedź, meaning "food eaten in the morning" | |||
| Romanian | mic dejun | ||
| The word 'mic dejun' is composed of the words 'mic' ('small') and 'dejun' ('fasting'), signifying a small meal eaten after a period without food. | |||
| Russian | завтрак | ||
| The Russian word "завтрак" (breakfast) historically referred to the first drink of the day, often honey wine or beer | |||
| Serbian | доручак | ||
| The word 'доручак' originates from the Greek word 'doron', which means 'gift'. In Serbian, 'доручак' can also refer to a morning meeting or gathering. | |||
| Slovak | raňajky | ||
| The word "raňajky" is derived from the Old Czech word "ranajti", meaning "to eat early". | |||
| Slovenian | zajtrk | ||
| The word "zajtrk" derives from the Old Church Slavonic word "zajutrъkъ", meaning "food eaten in the morning." | |||
| Ukrainian | сніданок | ||
| The Ukrainian word "сніданок" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*snidati", meaning "to eat". | |||
Breakfast in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | প্রাতঃরাশ | ||
| প্রাতঃরাশ is derived from the Sanskrit word “pratahras,” which means “morning meal.” | |||
| Gujarati | નાસ્તો | ||
| The Gujarati word "નાસ્તો" (nāsto) is derived from the Sanskrit word "नाश" (nāś), meaning "destruction" or "end", as breakfast is often the first meal to break the night's fast. | |||
| Hindi | सुबह का नाश्ता | ||
| The word 'सुबह का नाश्ता' derives from the Hindi words 'सुबह' ('morning') and 'नाश्ता' ('food'). An alternate meaning is 'the first meal of the day'. | |||
| Kannada | ಬೆಳಗಿನ ಉಪಾಹಾರ | ||
| Malayalam | പ്രഭാതഭക്ഷണം | ||
| പ്രഭാതഭക്ഷണം (prabaha bhakshanam) literally means 'dawn food' in Malayalam, and can also refer to a morning meal in general. | |||
| Marathi | न्याहारी | ||
| "न्याहारी" is derived from the word "nāhār," meaning "a morning meal." It can also refer to a light midday meal taken in the afternoon. | |||
| Nepali | बिहानको खाजा | ||
| The word "बिहानको खाजा" literally means "morning snack" in Nepali, reflecting the traditional practice of having a light meal in the morning. | |||
| Punjabi | ਨਾਸ਼ਤਾ | ||
| The word "ਨਾਸ਼ਤਾ" (nāśtā) is derived from the Sanskrit word "नाश" (nāś), meaning "destruction". This is because, traditionally, breakfast was eaten to "destroy" the overnight fast. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | උදෑසන ආහාරය | ||
| The Sinhala word "උදෑසන ආහාරය" literally translates to "morning food", highlighting its purpose as the first meal of the day. | |||
| Tamil | காலை உணவு | ||
| Telugu | అల్పాహారం | ||
| The word "అల్పాహారం" can also mean a light meal eaten at any time of the day. | |||
| Urdu | ناشتہ | ||
| Despite its name, "ناشتہ" (/naashta/) is traditionally served in the afternoon or evening in some regions. | |||
Breakfast in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 早餐 | ||
| 早餐 (break fast) 得名于英文，意为打破禁食 (fasting) 。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 早餐 | ||
| "早餐" (breakfast) can also be used as a verb, meaning 'to have breakfast'. | |||
| Japanese | 朝ごはん | ||
| 朝ごはん literally means "morning rice" and can also refer to the first meal of the day, regardless of its contents. | |||
| Korean | 아침밥 | ||
| The Korean word "아침밥" literally means "morning rice", as it is typically a rice-based meal eaten in the morning. | |||
| Mongolian | өглөөний хоол | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မနက်စာ | ||
Breakfast in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sarapan | ||
| In Indonesian, "sarapan" also refers to "food" or "meal" in general, derived from the Tamil word "charu" meaning "boiled rice". | |||
| Javanese | sarapan | ||
| The word "sarapan" in Javanese originally meant "to eat as a group". | |||
| Khmer | អាហារពេលព្រឹក | ||
| Lao | ອາຫານເຊົ້າ | ||
| Malay | sarapan pagi | ||
| The Malay word "sarapan pagi" is a combination of the root "sarapan" (meaning "to eat in the morning") and the prefix "pagi" (meaning "morning"). | |||
| Thai | อาหารเช้า | ||
| อาหารเช้า literally means 'morning food' or 'break-the-fast', derived from the Thai words 'อาหา' (food) and 'รุ่ง' (morning). | |||
| Vietnamese | bữa ăn sáng | ||
| "Bữa ăn sáng" literally translates to "break the fast," as it is the first meal after a night of fasting. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | almusal | ||
Breakfast in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | səhər yeməyi | ||
| Kazakh | таңғы ас | ||
| The Kazakh word "таңғы ас" literally translates to "morning food" or "food in the morning". | |||
| Kyrgyz | эртең мененки тамак | ||
| Tajik | наҳорӣ | ||
| The word "наҳорӣ" can refer either to breakfast or lunch depending on the time of day it is served. | |||
| Turkmen | ertirlik | ||
| Uzbek | nonushta | ||
| "Nonushta" also means "bread and salt" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | ناشتىلىق | ||
Breakfast in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻaina kakahiaka | ||
| ʻAina kakahiaka is a compound word in Hawaiian that literally means "morning meal." | |||
| Maori | parakuihi | ||
| The Māori word “parakuihi” originally referred to the time just after dawn when it was acceptable to have something to eat. | |||
| Samoan | meaai o le taeao | ||
| Literally meaning "morning meal", this word was created with the help of the Church, to replace the term "mauluulu". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | agahan | ||
| "Aga" is also the root word of "agahan," which means to make or prepare something early in the morning. | |||
Breakfast in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | junt'üma | ||
| Guarani | rambosa | ||
Breakfast in International Languages
| Esperanto | matenmanĝo | ||
| Matenmanĝo is literally 'morning meal', and thus can also mean lunch in some contexts. | |||
| Latin | prandium | ||
| It's a loanword from Greek, a doublet of 'pandere' ( | |||
Breakfast in Others Languages
| Greek | πρωινο γευμα | ||
| "ΠΡΩΙΝΟ ΓΕΥΜΑ" is a compound noun that literally means "early eating" (ΠΡΩΙ = early and ΓΕΥΜΑ = eating or meal) and it refers to the first main meal of the day. | |||
| Hmong | tshais | ||
| "Tshais" is also used to refer to the morning meal itself. | |||
| Kurdish | taştê | ||
| The Kurdish word for breakfast, taştê, can also mean "meal with soup"} | |||
| Turkish | kahvaltı | ||
| The word "kahvaltı" is derived from the Arabic word "qahwa al-tūrth", meaning "coffee of the morning". | |||
| Xhosa | isidlo sakusasa | ||
| The Xhosa word "isidlo sakusasa" literally translates to "the meal of the morning". | |||
| Yiddish | פרישטיק | ||
| The Yiddish word "פרישטיק" ("frishtik") derives from the Middle High German "vristic," meaning "early meal." | |||
| Zulu | ibhulakufesi | ||
| "Ibhulakufesi" suggests that breakfast is taken in the morning when one has forgotten to eat supper the previous evening. | |||
| Assamese | পুৱাৰ আহাৰ | ||
| Aymara | junt'üma | ||
| Bhojpuri | नास्ता | ||
| Dhivehi | ހެނދުނުގެ ނާސްތާ | ||
| Dogri | न्हारी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | almusal | ||
| Guarani | rambosa | ||
| Ilocano | pammigat | ||
| Krio | mɔnintɛm it | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نانی بەیانی | ||
| Maithili | जलपान | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯗꯥꯡꯒꯤ ꯆꯥꯛꯂꯦꯟ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | tukthuan | ||
| Oromo | ciree | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଜଳଖିଆ | ||
| Quechua | tutapay mikuna | ||
| Sanskrit | अल्पाहार | ||
| Tatar | иртәнге аш | ||
| Tigrinya | ቁርሲ | ||
| Tsonga | mfihlulo | ||