Dejeuner in Spanish | The Right Spanish Meal Term

In most contexts, French “déjeuner” maps to Spanish “almuerzo”; in Canada it often maps to “desayuno”.

“Déjeuner” looks simple until you translate it. The snag is that French speakers don’t all use it the same way. In much of France, it points to the midday meal. In parts of Canada, it can point to the morning meal. Spanish has its own regional shifts too, so you want a method that keeps you out of awkward mix-ups.

This article gives you that method. You’ll learn how to spot what “déjeuner” means in the moment, which Spanish word matches that meaning, and how to handle menus, invites, and travel talk without sounding stiff.

What “Déjeuner” Means In French

Start with the French side. Many learners meet “déjeuner” early and assume it always equals “lunch.” That works often, but not always.

France Usage

In standard modern French in France, “déjeuner” is the meal around midday. A French dictionary note from Larousse describes it as the meal taken around noon to early afternoon, with “petit déjeuner” used for the morning meal. That’s the pattern most travelers run into in Paris and many other parts of France. Larousse: “déjeuner” usage notes

Canada Usage

In Quebec French, meal words often follow an older pattern: “déjeuner” for morning, “dîner” for midday, “souper” for evening. If you learned French through media from Canada, this may already feel normal. The Trésor de la langue française au Québec walks through this set and its history. TLFQ on “déjeuner, dîner, souper”

A Fast Meaning Check

When you see or hear “déjeuner,” ask two quick questions:

• What time is it in the scene or schedule?
• Is the speaker tied to France French usage or Canada French usage?

If it’s 7–10 a.m. and the speaker is from Quebec, “déjeuner” often means breakfast. If it’s 12–2 p.m. and the speaker is from France, it almost always means lunch. When time or region is unclear, look for surrounding words like “ce matin,” “à midi,” “au bureau,” or “au restaurant.”

Dejeuner In Spanish With The Context Trick

Now translate the meaning, not the letters. Spanish doesn’t have a single word that matches “déjeuner” in every setting. You pick the Spanish meal word that matches the meal in front of you.

Spanish Words You’ll Use Most

• Desayuno: the first meal of the day, taken in the morning.
• Almuerzo: often the midday meal, but it can also mean a mid-morning bite in some places.
• Comida: in many parts of Spain, the main midday meal is often called “la comida.”
• Cena: the evening meal.

The Royal Spanish Academy dictionary notes “almuerzo” as a meal taken at midday or early afternoon, and it also records a morning sense in some use. RAE definition of “almuerzo” It also defines “desayuno” as the first meal of the day, taken in the morning. RAE definition of “desayuno”

So when a French speaker says “déjeuner,” your Spanish translation depends on which of these meals they mean. That’s it. No mystical rule. Just meaning first, word second.

How To Pick The Right Spanish Meal Word

Use this decision path. It works for conversation, captions, travel notes, and translation work.

Step 1: Lock The Meal Time

Is it morning, around midday, or evening? If you can place it on the clock, you’ve already done most of the work.

Step 2: Spot The French Regional Pattern

If the speaker is from France (or the scene is in France), assume “déjeuner” means lunch unless the context pushes hard toward morning. If the speaker is from Quebec, assume “déjeuner” means breakfast unless the context points to midday.

Step 3: Match The Spanish Word Used In That Setting

For many Spanish speakers, “desayuno” is always breakfast. The tricky one is lunch, since some places say “almuerzo” and others say “comida” for the main midday meal. If you’re writing for a broad audience, “almuerzo” is widely understood. If you’re writing for Spain, “comida” may feel more natural in many regions.

Here’s a broad mapping you can rely on in most general writing.

French “déjeuner” context	Best Spanish match	When it fits
France French, midday meal	almuerzo	General Spanish, travel, menus, neutral writing
France French, midday meal (Spain audience)	comida	Texts set in Spain or aimed at Spain readers
Quebec French, morning meal	desayuno	Morning meal, café talk, hotel breakfast
Quebec French, midday meal (usually “dîner”)	almuerzo / comida	Use the Spanish term that matches the target region
Work meal, formal tone	almuerzo de trabajo	Business lunch, client meal, office invite
Light meal, sandwich at noon	almuerzo ligero	When the meal is small but still midday
Breakfast-style meal taken late	desayuno tardío	Brunch-like timing, late morning
Meal name on a schedule (generic label)	almuerzo / desayuno	Pick based on time; skip literal translation

Menus, Invites, And Travel Talk

This is where translators stumble, since menus and invites often drop the time. They rely on what locals assume. So you translate as a local reader would hear it.

Restaurant Menus

If a French menu uses “déjeuner” as a section label, it’s almost always the midday offering in France. In Spanish, the safest label is “almuerzo.” If the Spanish audience is Spain-focused, “comida” may be the better menu label. If the French menu says “petit déjeuner,” that’s “desayuno” in Spanish.

Event Schedules

Conference schedules can list “Déjeuner” with no hour. Check the timetable around it. If it sits between a late-morning session and an early-afternoon session, treat it as lunch and translate to “almuerzo” (or “comida” for Spain).

Invites From Friends

When someone says, “On déjeune ensemble ?” you can translate the plan as “¿Almorzamos juntos?” That feels natural and keeps the action in the verb, which is how Spanish invites often work.

If the speaker is Quebec French and it’s early, “On déjeune ensemble ?” lines up with “¿Desayunamos juntos?” You can also use “¿Tomamos el desayuno juntos?” if you want it to feel a touch more literal.

Hotel Signs And Meal Tickets

Hotels are usually clear: “déjeuner” in Quebec is breakfast, while “petit déjeuner” in France is breakfast. If you translate hotel material, use the time window printed on the sign. Time beats assumptions.

Common Mix-Ups And Clean Fixes

These slip-ups show up in translation apps, captions, and also textbooks. Once you spot them, they’re easy to correct.

Mix-Up 1: Treating “Déjeuner” As A Fixed Word

If you translate it the same way every time, you’ll be wrong in one of the two big regional patterns. Train yourself to treat it like “the meal that breaks the fast” plus a regional habit.

Mix-Up 2: Forgetting That “Almuerzo” Can Shift

In some places, “almuerzo” can mean a mid-morning snack, not the main midday meal. That doesn’t break your translation. It just means you should lean on time and scene details. If the French scene is clearly a midday sit-down meal, “almuerzo” still works for broad Spanish. If you’re writing for Spain and it’s a main meal, “comida” may read smoother.

Mix-Up 3: Translating Menu Labels Word For Word

Menus are a game of expectation. A Spanish reader wants to know which meal they’re ordering: breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Translate the function of the section, not the French label on its own.

Mix-Up 4: Missing The Verb Angle

French often uses “déjeuner” as a verb: “On déjeune.” Spanish can mirror that with “almorzar” or “desayunar.” That’s often the cleanest option in dialogue.

Sentence Patterns That Sound Natural

These patterns let you translate fast without building stiff, dictionary-style lines.

When “Déjeuner” Means Lunch

• On déjeune à midi. → Almorzamos al mediodía.
• Je déjeune au bureau. → Almuerzo en la oficina.
• Déjeuner compris. → Almuerzo incluido.

When “Déjeuner” Means Breakfast

• On déjeune à sept heures. → Desayunamos a las siete.
• Tu as déjà déjeuné ? → ¿Ya desayunaste?
• Déjeuner servi de 7 h à 10 h. → Desayuno servido de 7 a 10.

If you’re unsure whether the target reader uses “almuerzo” or “comida” for lunch, you can dodge the noun and lean on the verb: “almorzar” is widely understood across the Spanish-speaking world, and it keeps the line short.

Quick Translation Table For Real-World Phrases

This table is meant for those moments when you’re translating signage, travel notes, or a message thread and you need a fast, natural match.

French phrase	Spanish match	Notes
Déjeuner	Almuerzo / Desayuno	Pick by time and region
Petit déjeuner	Desayuno	Standard breakfast label
Déjeuner d’affaires	Almuerzo de trabajo	Works in most Spanish varieties
On déjeune ?	¿Almorzamos?	Natural invite, verb-first
Déjeuner inclus	Almuerzo incluido	Common hotel line
Heure du déjeuner	Hora del almuerzo	Use “hora de la comida” for Spain if it reads better

A Mini Checklist Before You Hit Publish

If you’re translating content that will live on a website, a brochure, or a menu, run this checklist. It keeps your translation steady from page to page.

1. Mark the time window. If the source text has no time, look for schedule clues in nearby lines.
2. Tag the French regional pattern. France French and Quebec French may use “déjeuner” for different meals.
3. Choose the Spanish target region. If your audience is broad, “almuerzo” stays readable. If it’s Spain-only, “comida” for the midday meal can read more local.
4. Prefer verbs in dialogue. “Almorzamos” and “Desayunamos” often sound smoother than noun phrases.
5. Stay consistent on the page. Once you pick a meal word for that time slot, stick to it within that asset.

Translate “déjeuner” by meaning and you’ll rarely miss. When the scene is midday in France, “almuerzo” is your workhorse. When the scene is morning in Quebec, “desayuno” is the clean match. After that, it’s just a matter of tone: menu label, invite, schedule, or hotel sign.