petit-déjeuner

breakfast

noun ptee-deh-zhuh-NEH Less Common

Usage Note

Petit-déjeuner literally means 'small lunch'; the typical French breakfast is light — coffee or tea with a tartine or croissant, contrasting with the heavier déjeuner (lunch) and dîner (dinner). The compound is hyphenated and its plural is petits-déjeuners. The verb déjeuner can mean both 'to have breakfast' and 'to have lunch' depending on region.

Examples

"Je prends mon petit-déjeuner à sept heures."

Natural Translation

I have my breakfast at seven o'clock.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Sorry in French: Désolé vs Pardon vs Excusez-moi

Use désolé for genuine regret, pardon to bump or squeeze past, and excusez-moi to get attention. A situation-by-situation guide to saying sorry in French.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Adjective Placement: Before or After the Noun?

French adjectives usually follow the noun, but a small common set goes before it — and a few change meaning depending on which side they sit. Here's the rule.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

The Bonjour Rule: French Etiquette for Visitors

Always say bonjour before you ask, order, or pay in France — the unspoken rule that opens every door. A respectful visitor's guide to French etiquette.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French Liaison Rules: When to Link Words (and Not To)

French liaison links a silent final consonant to the next vowel. Learn the obligatory, forbidden, and optional rules, plus the s→z and d→t sound shifts.

June 4, 2026 5 min read