How to Say What You Eat and Drink for Breakfast in French
Learn to say what you eat and drink for breakfast in French using 'Au petit déjeuner, je mange/bois...' with common foods and drinks.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about your breakfast in French. You will use the phrase 'Au petit déjeuner, je mange...' (For breakfast, I eat...) and 'Au petit déjeuner, je bois...' (For breakfast, I drink...). You will also learn the names of typical French breakfast foods and drinks, and how to use the correct articles (un, une, du, de la) with them. By the end, you will be able to describe your own breakfast in simple French.
By the end, you can…
- name common French breakfast foods and drinks.
- say what I eat and drink for breakfast using 'je mange' and 'je bois'.
- use the correct articles (un, une, du, de la) with breakfast items.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Au petit déjeuner, je mange du pain.
For breakfast, I eat bread.
oh puh-tee day-zhuh-NAY, zhuh mahnzh dew pan
'Du' is the partitive article used with masculine singular nouns like 'pain' when talking about an unspecified amount.
Au petit déjeuner, je bois du café.
For breakfast, I drink coffee.
oh puh-tee day-zhuh-NAY, zhuh bwah dew ka-FAY
'Du café' means 'some coffee' or 'coffee' in general. Use 'du' for masculine nouns.
Je mange une tartine avec de la confiture.
I eat a slice of bread with jam.
zhuh mahnzh ewn tar-TEEN ah-vek duh lah kawn-fee-TUR
'Une tartine' is a slice of bread, often with butter or jam. 'De la confiture' uses the partitive article for feminine nouns.
Je bois un jus d'orange.
I drink an orange juice.
zhuh bwah un zhew dor-AHNZH
'Un jus d'orange' uses the indefinite article 'un' because it's a countable item (a glass of juice).
Je prends un croissant et un café au lait.
I have a croissant and a coffee with milk.
zhuh prahn un krwah-SAHN ay un ka-FAY oh LEH
'Je prends' is another way to say 'I have' when talking about food or drinks. 'Un café au lait' is coffee with milk.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say what you eat or drink for breakfast, use: 'Au petit déjeuner, je mange...' or 'Au petit déjeuner, je bois...'. Then add the food or drink with the correct article. For example: 'Au petit déjeuner, je mange du pain.' (For breakfast, I eat bread.) 'Au petit déjeuner, je bois du thé.' (For breakfast, I drink tea.) Remember: 'manger' is for eating, 'boire' is for drinking. For drinks, you can also use 'je prends' (I have).
When to use it
Use these phrases when talking about your morning meal. In France, breakfast is often light: bread with butter and jam, a croissant, and coffee or hot chocolate. If you want to ask someone what they eat, say: 'Qu'est-ce que tu manges au petit déjeuner ?' (What do you eat for breakfast?). To answer, use the pattern above. Note that 'petit déjeuner' literally means 'little lunch', but it refers to breakfast. In some French-speaking regions like Belgium, 'déjeuner' means breakfast, and 'petit déjeuner' is less common.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Qu'est-ce que tu manges au petit déjeuner ?
What do you eat for breakfast?kess-kuh too mahnzh oh puh-tee day-zhuh-NAYJe mange du pain avec du beurre et de la confiture.
I eat bread with butter and jam.zhuh mahnzh dew pan ah-vek dew bur ay duh lah kawn-fee-TUREt qu'est-ce que tu bois ?
And what do you drink?ay kess-kuh too bwahJe bois un café au lait. Et toi ?
I drink a coffee with milk. And you?zhuh bwah un ka-FAY oh LEH. ay twahA little context goes a long way
In France, breakfast is typically light and sweet: bread, butter, jam, croissants, and coffee or hot chocolate. In Belgium and Switzerland, 'déjeuner' can mean breakfast, while in France it means lunch. In Quebec, breakfast is often called 'déjeuner' as well. When invited to someone's home, it's polite to accept what is offered. If you have dietary restrictions, you can say 'Je ne mange pas de...' (I don't eat...).
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Je mange un pain' instead of 'Je mange du pain'.
Try this instead: 'Un pain' means 'a loaf of bread', but when talking about eating bread in general, use 'du pain' (some bread). For example: 'Je mange du pain.' (I eat bread.)
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'For breakfast, I drink tea' in French?
Show a sample answer
Au petit déjeuner, je bois du thé.
'Du thé' uses the partitive article 'du' because 'thé' is masculine singular. You could also say 'je prends du thé'.
2What is the correct article for 'confiture' in 'I eat jam'?
Show a sample answer
Je mange de la confiture.
'Confiture' is feminine, so use 'de la'. 'Je mange la confiture' would mean a specific jam, not jam in general.
3Translate: 'I have a croissant and an orange juice.'
Show a sample answer
Je prends un croissant et un jus d'orange.
Both 'croissant' and 'jus' are masculine, so use 'un'. 'Je prends' is common for ordering or having food.
Use 'Au petit déjeuner, je mange/bois...' to describe your breakfast. Remember to use 'du' for masculine nouns, 'de la' for feminine nouns, and 'un/une' for countable items.
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