🍽️ Meals

⏱ 11 min read

In this section you'll learn useful English vocabulary for meals, eating, drinking, and talking about when and what you eat. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Basic Meals

☀️ Breakfast
the first meal of the day
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Desayuno
🇫🇷 French: Petit-déjeuner
🇩🇪 German: Frühstück
🇮🇹 Italian: Colazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Café da manhã / Pequeno-almoço
🍽️ Lunch
the meal in the middle of the day
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Almuerzo / Comida
🇫🇷 French: Déjeuner
🇩🇪 German: Mittagessen
🇮🇹 Italian: Pranzo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Almoço
🌙 Dinner
the main meal in the evening
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cena
🇫🇷 French: Dîner
🇩🇪 German: Abendessen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cena
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Jantar
🍎 Snack
a small amount of food between meals
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Merienda / Tentempié
🇫🇷 French: En-cas
🇩🇪 German: Snack / Imbiss
🇮🇹 Italian: Spuntino
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Lanche
🍰 Dessert
sweet food after a meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Postre
🇫🇷 French: Dessert
🇩🇪 German: Nachtisch / Dessert
🇮🇹 Italian: Dolce
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Sobremesa
🍴 Meal
food you eat at breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Comida
🇫🇷 French: Repas
🇩🇪 German: Mahlzeit
🇮🇹 Italian: Pasto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Refeição

🟡 Eating & Drinking

🍴 To eat
to put food in your mouth
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Comer
🇫🇷 French: Manger
🇩🇪 German: Essen
🇮🇹 Italian: Mangiare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Comer
🥤 To drink
to take a liquid into your mouth
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Beber
🇫🇷 French: Boire
🇩🇪 German: Trinken
🇮🇹 Italian: Bere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Beber
👨‍🍳 To cook
to prepare food with heat
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cocinar
🇫🇷 French: Cuisiner
🇩🇪 German: Kochen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cucinare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cozinhar
☀️ To have breakfast
to eat the morning meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Desayunar
🇫🇷 French: Prendre le petit-déjeuner
🇩🇪 German: Frühstücken
🇮🇹 Italian: Fare colazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tomar café da manhã
🍽️ To have lunch
to eat the midday meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Almorzar
🇫🇷 French: Déjeuner
🇩🇪 German: Zu Mittag essen
🇮🇹 Italian: Pranzare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Almoçar
🌙 To have dinner
to eat the evening meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cenar
🇫🇷 French: Dîner
🇩🇪 German: Zu Abend essen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cenare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Jantar
🍳 To prepare
to get food ready
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Preparar
🇫🇷 French: Préparer
🇩🇪 German: Vorbereiten
🇮🇹 Italian: Preparare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preparar
🍽️ To serve
to give food to people
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Servir
🇫🇷 French: Servir
🇩🇪 German: Servieren
🇮🇹 Italian: Servire
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Servir

🍽️ Parts of a Meal

🥗 Appetizer / Starter
a small dish before the main food
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Entrante / Aperitivo
🇫🇷 French: Entrée / Apéritif
🇩🇪 German: Vorspeise
🇮🇹 Italian: Antipasto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Entrada
🍲 First course
the first plate in a meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Primer plato
🇫🇷 French: Premier plat
🇩🇪 German: Erster Gang
🇮🇹 Italian: Primo piatto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Primeiro prato
🍗 Main course
the largest part of the meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Plato principal
🇫🇷 French: Plat principal
🇩🇪 German: Hauptgericht
🇮🇹 Italian: Piatto principale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Prato principal
🥗 Side dish
extra food next to the main course
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Guarnición / Acompañamiento
🇫🇷 French: Accompagnement
🇩🇪 German: Beilage
🇮🇹 Italian: Contorno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Acompanhamento
🍰 Dessert
sweet food after a meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Postre
🇫🇷 French: Dessert
🇩🇪 German: Nachtisch
🇮🇹 Italian: Dolce
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Sobremesa
🥤 Drink / Beverage
something you drink with a meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Bebida
🇫🇷 French: Boisson
🇩🇪 German: Getränk
🇮🇹 Italian: Bevanda
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Bebida

😋 Useful Meal Expressions

😋 I'm hungry.
I want to eat
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Tengo hambre.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai faim.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe Hunger.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho fame.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Estou com fome.
🥤 I'm thirsty.
I want to drink
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Tengo sed.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai soif.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe Durst.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho sete.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Estou com sede.
😊 Enjoy your meal!
a polite wish before eating
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¡Buen provecho!
🇫🇷 French: Bon appétit !
🇩🇪 German: Guten Appetit!
🇮🇹 Italian: Buon appetito!
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Bom apetite!
🍽️ I'm full.
I cannot eat more
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Estoy lleno / llena.
🇫🇷 French: Je suis rassasié(e).
🇩🇪 German: Ich bin satt.
🇮🇹 Italian: Sono sazio / sazia.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Estou satisfeito(a).
😋 It's delicious.
the food tastes very good
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Está delicioso.
🇫🇷 French: C'est délicieux.
🇩🇪 German: Es ist lecker.
🇮🇹 Italian: È delizioso.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Está delicioso.
🍴 Let's eat!
it is time to start eating
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¡A comer!
🇫🇷 French: À table !
🇩🇪 German: Lasst uns essen!
🇮🇹 Italian: Mangiamo!
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vamos comer!

🌎 Meal Times & English Usage

☀️ Breakfast is the first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning before work or school.
🍽️ Lunch is the midday meal. In most English-speaking countries it is eaten between about 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.
🍎 A snack is a small amount of food eaten between meals. Snacks can be sweet or savory.
🌙 Dinner is usually the largest meal of the day and is commonly eaten in the evening. Some families also use the word supper for the evening meal.

🧠 Useful Grammar Tip

In English, we normally say have with meals instead of using a special verb.
I have breakfast at eight.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Desayuno a las ocho.
🇫🇷 Je prends le petit-déjeuner à huit heures.
🇩🇪 Ich frühstücke um acht Uhr.
🇮🇹 Faccio colazione alle otto.
🇵🇹 Tomo café da manhã às oito.
We have lunch together.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Almorzamos juntos.
🇫🇷 Nous déjeunons ensemble.
🇩🇪 Wir essen zusammen zu Mittag.
🇮🇹 Pranziamo insieme.
🇵🇹 Almoçamos juntos.
We have dinner at home.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Cenamos en casa.
🇫🇷 Nous dînons à la maison.
🇩🇪 Wir essen zu Hause zu Abend.
🇮🇹 Ceniamo a casa.
🇵🇹 Jantamos em casa.
English uses the verb to be to talk about hunger and thirst.
I'm hungry.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Tengo hambre.
🇫🇷 J'ai faim.
🇩🇪 Ich habe Hunger.
🇮🇹 Ho fame.
🇵🇹 Estou com fome.
I'm thirsty.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Tengo sed.
🇫🇷 J'ai soif.
🇩🇪 Ich habe Durst.
🇮🇹 Ho sete.
🇵🇹 Estou com sede.

Beginner Tip: Unlike Spanish (tener hambre, tener sed), English says I'm hungry and I'm thirsty using the verb to be.

💬 Common Meal Phrases

☀️ I have breakfast at seven in the morning.
I eat breakfast at 7:00 a.m.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Desayuno a las siete de la mañana.
🇫🇷 Je prends le petit-déjeuner à sept heures du matin.
🇩🇪 Ich frühstücke um sieben Uhr morgens.
🇮🇹 Faccio colazione alle sette del mattino.
🇵🇹 Tomo café da manhã às sete da manhã.
🍽️ We eat together every day.
we share meals each day
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Comemos juntos todos los días.
🇫🇷 Nous mangeons ensemble tous les jours.
🇩🇪 Wir essen jeden Tag zusammen.
🇮🇹 Mangiamo insieme ogni giorno.
🇵🇹 Comemos juntos todos os dias.
🌙 What are we having for dinner tonight?
what food will we eat this evening?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Qué vamos a cenar esta noche?
🇫🇷 Qu'est-ce qu'on mange ce soir ?
🇩🇪 Was essen wir heute Abend?
🇮🇹 Cosa mangiamo stasera?
🇵🇹 O que vamos jantar esta noite?
🍰 Would you like dessert after dinner?
do you want something sweet after dinner?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Quieres postre después de cenar?
🇫🇷 Voulez-vous un dessert après le dîner ?
🇩🇪 Möchtest du nach dem Abendessen einen Nachtisch?
🇮🇹 Vuoi un dolce dopo cena?
🇵🇹 Você quer sobremesa depois do jantar?

💬 Everyday Conversations

At home
asking what lunch is
A: What's for lunch?
B: Today we're having soup, rice, and chicken.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué hay para el almuerzo?
🇪🇸 B: Hoy hay sopa, arroz y pollo.
Making dinner plans
asking the time for dinner
A: What time are we having dinner?
B: We're having dinner at eight.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿A qué hora cenamos?
🇪🇸 B: Cenamos a las ocho.
After the meal
offering dessert
A: Would you like some dessert?
B: No, thank you. I'm full.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Quieres un poco de postre?
🇪🇸 B: No, gracias. Estoy lleno.

📝 Example Sentences

🍲 The soup is hot and delicious.
the soup tastes very good
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La sopa está caliente y deliciosa.
🇫🇷 French: La soupe est chaude et délicieuse.
🇩🇪 German: Die Suppe ist heiß und lecker.
🇮🇹 Italian: La zuppa è calda e deliziosa.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A sopa está quente e deliciosa.
🥤 I drink water with every meal.
I have water at breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Bebo agua con todas las comidas.
🇫🇷 French: Je bois de l'eau à chaque repas.
🇩🇪 German: Ich trinke zu jeder Mahlzeit Wasser.
🇮🇹 Italian: Bevo acqua a ogni pasto.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu bebo água em todas as refeições.
👨‍🍳 My mother cooks very well on weekends.
my mother makes good food on Saturday and Sunday
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mi madre cocina muy bien los fines de semana.
🇫🇷 French: Ma mère cuisine très bien le week-end.
🇩🇪 German: Meine Mutter kocht am Wochenende sehr gut.
🇮🇹 Italian: Mia madre cucina molto bene nei fine settimana.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Minha mãe cozinha muito bem nos fins de semana.
🍎 I have a light snack in the afternoon.
I eat a little food after lunch
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Como una merienda ligera por la tarde.
🇫🇷 French: Je prends une collation légère l'après-midi.
🇩🇪 German: Ich esse am Nachmittag einen leichten Snack.
🇮🇹 Italian: Faccio uno spuntino leggero nel pomeriggio.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Faço um lanche leve à tarde.
🍽️ We have lunch together at noon.
we eat lunch together at 12:00
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Almorzamos juntos al mediodía.
🇫🇷 French: Nous déjeunons ensemble à midi.
🇩🇪 German: Wir essen mittags zusammen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Pranziamo insieme a mezzogiorno.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Almoçamos juntos ao meio-dia.
🌙 We usually have dinner at home.
most evenings we eat dinner at home
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Normalmente cenamos en casa.
🇫🇷 French: Nous dînons habituellement à la maison.
🇩🇪 German: Normalerweise essen wir zu Hause zu Abend.
🇮🇹 Italian: Di solito ceniamo a casa.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Normalmente jantamos em casa.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the word or phrase that fits best. Do not pick a close meal word if a more precise one is on the page.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%