At the A1 level, 'le déjeuner' is one of the first essential nouns you learn for daily routines. You should focus on its meaning as 'lunch' and its masculine gender. You will use it in simple sentences like 'Le déjeuner est à midi' (Lunch is at noon) or 'J'aime le déjeuner' (I like lunch). At this stage, it's important to distinguish it from 'le petit-déjeuner' (breakfast) to avoid confusion during morning conversations. You will mostly use it with simple verbs like 'être' (to be) or 'manger' (to eat).
At the A2 level, you begin to use 'le déjeuner' in the context of social interactions and ordering. You might say 'On prend le déjeuner ensemble ?' (Shall we have lunch together?) or 'Je prépare le déjeuner' (I am preparing lunch). You should also be aware of the 'pause déjeuner' (lunch break) in a work or school context. You'll start using adjectives to describe the meal, such as 'un déjeuner délicieux' or 'un déjeuner rapide'.
By B1, you understand the cultural importance of 'le déjeuner' in France. You can discuss the 'déjeuner d'affaires' (business lunch) and understand that it is a time for professional networking. You are also introduced to regional differences, learning that in Belgium or Quebec, 'déjeuner' might mean breakfast. You can use the word in more complex sentences involving time-markers like 'pendant le déjeuner' (during lunch) or 'après le déjeuner' (after lunch).
At the B2 level, you master idiomatic expressions and more nuanced uses. You might encounter 'un déjeuner de soleil' (something that doesn't last long, like a fabric that fades in the sun). You understand the social nuances of the 'déjeuner dominical' (Sunday family lunch) and can participate in debates about the changing habits of French eating, such as the decline of the traditional two-hour lunch break in favor of 'le snacking'.
At the C1 level, you can appreciate 'le déjeuner' in literary and historical contexts. You might analyze texts that use the meal as a setting for character development. You understand the etymological roots (disjejunare) and can navigate the complex regional shifts in terminology across the Francophonie with ease. You can use the word in formal writing, such as 'un déjeuner protocolaire' (a formal/protocol lunch).
At the C2 level, your understanding is near-native. You can discuss the sociological implications of the 'déjeuner' as a ritual of French identity. You are comfortable with archaic or highly specialized uses in classical literature. You can effortlessly switch between regional dialects (e.g., using 'déjeuner' for breakfast in a Swiss context) without confusion, and you understand the subtle registers between 'un déjeuner' and 'une collation' or 'un banquet'.

déjeuner في 30 ثانية

  • Déjeuner means 'lunch' in standard French and is a masculine noun (le déjeuner).
  • It takes place between 12 PM and 2 PM and is a vital social ritual in France.
  • In Belgium, Switzerland, and Quebec, it often refers to 'breakfast' instead.
  • Commonly used with the verb 'prendre' or as a standalone verb 'déjeuner'.

The term déjeuner primarily refers to the midday meal in standard Hexagonal French. Etymologically, it stems from the Vulgar Latin disjejunare, which literally means 'to break the fast.' In the historical context of France, this meal has shifted its timing significantly over the centuries. What we now call lunch was once the first meal of the day. This linguistic evolution explains why, in many Francophone regions outside of France—such as Belgium, Switzerland, and Quebec—the word déjeuner still refers to breakfast, while the midday meal is called dîner and the evening meal souper.

Grammatical Gender
Masculine (le déjeuner, un déjeuner).
Primary Usage
Refers to the meal consumed between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.
Social Significance
A cornerstone of French daily life, often involving a break from work or school.

In a modern French household, the déjeuner is traditionally a warm meal, though the rise of 'le snacking' has introduced quicker options. However, the cultural ideal remains a seated, multi-course experience. Even in professional settings, the 'pause déjeuner' is respected as a time for socialization and digestion, rather than just a quick caloric intake at one's desk. Understanding this word requires recognizing it not just as a label for food, but as a temporal marker for the French day.

"Le déjeuner est servi à midi précise dans la salle à manger."

— Common domestic instruction

The word also appears in various compound forms. You have the petit-déjeuner (breakfast), which literally means 'little lunch.' This distinction is vital for learners to avoid confusion. When a French person says 'On se voit pour le déjeuner ?', they are strictly talking about the midday slot. The noun can also be used to describe the event itself, such as a 'déjeuner d'affaires' (business lunch) or a 'déjeuner de famille' (family lunch).

"Nous avons organisé un déjeuner de presse pour le lancement du produit."

Synonymic Nuance
'Le repas du midi' is a common alternative in casual speech.
Regional Variation
In Quebec, 'le déjeuner' is the morning meal.

Using the noun déjeuner correctly involves understanding its relationship with verbs and articles. Most commonly, it is paired with the verb prendre (to take) or préparer (to prepare). Unlike English, where we 'have lunch,' the French 'take' it: prendre le déjeuner. However, it is even more common to use the verb form déjeuner directly (e.g., 'Je déjeune à midi'). When using the noun, the definite article 'le' is standard when speaking about the meal in general.

"Après le déjeuner, nous irons nous promener en forêt."

When describing the content of the meal, you might use the partitive article or a descriptive adjective. For example, 'un déjeuner copieux' (a hearty lunch) or 'un déjeuner léger' (a light lunch). In professional contexts, 'la pause déjeuner' is a fixed expression. It is rarely 'la pause du déjeuner'; the noun acts as a modifier here. Similarly, 'une boîte à déjeuner' is the term for a lunch box, though 'lunchbox' is increasingly used in urban areas.

Common Verb Pairings
Prendre, sauter (to skip), préparer, servir, commander.
Adjective Agreement
Since it is masculine, adjectives must be masculine: un déjeuner délicieux, un déjeuner rapide.

In terms of syntax, déjeuner often follows prepositions like 'pendant' (during) or 'avant/après' (before/after). It is also used in the construction 'être au déjeuner' (to be at lunch), though 'être en pause déjeuner' is more frequent in a work environment. If you are inviting someone, you might say 'Je t'invite au déjeuner' or more commonly 'Je t'invite à déjeuner' (using the verb).

"Le déjeuner de travail a été très productif pour l'équipe."

You will encounter the word déjeuner in virtually every aspect of French life. In a domestic setting, it's the shout from the kitchen: 'À table ! Le déjeuner est servi !' In the corporate world, it's the subject of calendar invites and Slack messages: 'On fait un déjeuner d'équipe demain ?' It is also ubiquitous in the hospitality industry. Menus will often have a 'Formule Déjeuner'—a set price menu offered only during midday hours, usually cheaper than the dinner offerings.

"La carte du déjeuner propose trois entrées au choix."

In literature and cinema, le déjeuner is often a site of conflict or revelation. Think of the famous painting by Édouard Manet, 'Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe,' which caused a scandal in its time. The word carries a certain weight of social ritual. In news reports, you might hear about a 'déjeuner au sommet' (summit lunch) between political leaders, emphasizing that important business is being conducted over food.

Restaurant Signs
'Service déjeuner de 12h à 14h30'.
School Context
'La cantine pour le déjeuner'.

The most frequent mistake for English speakers is the 'Breakfast Confusion.' Because 'déjeuner' looks like it should mean breakfast (breaking the fast), many beginners use it for the morning meal. Remember: in France, Breakfast = Petit-déjeuner. Another error is the gender; learners often mistakenly make it feminine (*la déjeuner) because many other French words ending in '-er' or '-é' can be confusing, but déjeuner is strictly masculine.

"J'ai mangé un bon déjeuner ce matin." (Incorrect in France—should be petit-déjeuner)

Another mistake involves the preposition. English speakers say 'at lunch,' leading them to translate it as '*à déjeuner.' The correct way to say 'at lunch' (meaning during the meal) is 'pendant le déjeuner' or 'au déjeuner.' If you want to say 'for lunch,' use 'pour le déjeuner' (e.g., 'Qu'est-ce qu'on a pour le déjeuner ?').

False Friend Alert
In Belgium/Switzerland, 'déjeuner' IS breakfast. Know your location!
Verb vs Noun
Don't say 'Je vais le déjeuner' when you mean 'I am going to eat lunch.' Say 'Je vais déjeuner'.

Several words orbit the concept of déjeuner. The most general is le repas (the meal), which can apply to any time of day. For a quick, informal lunch, you might hear le casse-croûte (a snack/sandwich) or le sur-le-pouce (an on-the-go meal). In a more formal or traditional context, especially in the evening, you have le dîner. Interestingly, in old French, dîner was the word for lunch, which is why the confusion exists in regional dialects today.

"Ce n'est pas un vrai déjeuner, c'est juste un en-cas."

Le Goûter
The afternoon snack (around 4 PM), usually for children.
Le Brunch
Anglicism used for a late breakfast/early lunch combo on weekends.

How Formal Is It?

مستوى الصعوبة

قواعد يجب معرفتها

Partitive articles (du, de la)

Contractions with 'de' (du déjeuner)

Masculine adjective agreement

Prepositions of time (à, pendant, après)

Verb 'prendre' conjugation

أمثلة حسب المستوى

1

Le déjeuner est sur la table.

The lunch is on the table.

Definite article 'le' + noun.

2

C'est l'heure du déjeuner.

It is lunch time.

Contraction 'de + le' becomes 'du'.

3

Je mange mon déjeuner à midi.

I eat my lunch at noon.

Possessive adjective 'mon'.

4

Le déjeuner est bon.

The lunch is good.

Subject + verb + adjective.

5

Où est mon déjeuner ?

Where is my lunch?

Interrogative 'où'.

6

Un petit déjeuner, s'il vous plaît.

A breakfast, please.

Note the 'petit' prefix for breakfast.

7

Le déjeuner est prêt !

Lunch is ready!

Adjective 'prêt' agrees with masculine noun.

8

J'aime ce déjeuner.

I like this lunch.

Demonstrative adjective 'ce'.

1

Voulez-vous prendre le déjeuner avec moi ?

Do you want to have lunch with me?

Verb 'prendre' used with the noun.

2

Nous avons un déjeuner rapide aujourd'hui.

We have a quick lunch today.

Adjective 'rapide' following the noun.

3

Le déjeuner à la cantine est gratuit.

Lunch at the cafeteria is free.

Prepositional phrase 'à la cantine'.

4

Elle prépare un grand déjeuner pour ses amis.

She is preparing a big lunch for her friends.

Adjective 'grand' before the noun.

5

Après le déjeuner, nous allons au parc.

After lunch, we are going to the park.

Preposition 'après'.

6

Je n'ai pas de déjeuner aujourd'hui.

I don't have any lunch today.

Negation with 'de' instead of 'un'.

7

Le déjeuner est le repas le plus important pour lui.

Lunch is the most important meal for him.

Superlative 'le plus important'.

8

On se retrouve pour le déjeuner ?

Shall we meet for lunch?

Pronoun 'on' for 'we'.

1

Le déjeuner d'affaires a duré plus longtemps que prévu.

The business lunch lasted longer than expected.

Compound noun 'déjeuner d'affaires'.

2

Pendant le déjeuner, nous avons discuté du projet.

During lunch, we discussed the project.

Preposition 'pendant'.

3

Il a sauté le déjeuner pour finir son rapport.

He skipped lunch to finish his report.

Verb 'sauter' (to skip).

4

Le restaurant propose une formule déjeuner à quinze euros.

The restaurant offers a lunch set for fifteen euros.

Noun used as a modifier.

5

C'est un déjeuner typiquement français avec du vin.

It's a typically French lunch with wine.

Adverb 'typiquement'.

6

Je préfère un déjeuner léger avant le sport.

I prefer a light lunch before sports.

Adjective 'léger'.

7

Le déjeuner de famille du dimanche est sacré.

The Sunday family lunch is sacred.

Cultural expression.

8

Avez-vous réservé une table pour le déjeuner ?

Did you reserve a table for lunch?

Passé composé.

1

Leur relation fut un déjeuner de soleil, intense mais brève.

Their relationship was short-lived, intense but brief.

Idiomatic expression 'déjeuner de soleil'.

2

Il a pris un déjeuner sur le pouce entre deux réunions.

He had a quick bite on the go between two meetings.

Idiom 'sur le pouce'.

3

Le déjeuner champêtre a été interrompu par la pluie.

The country lunch was interrupted by rain.

Adjective 'champêtre'.

4

Le coût du déjeuner en entreprise est souvent subventionné.

The cost of lunch in companies is often subsidized.

Passive voice 'est subventionné'.

5

Elle a organisé un déjeuner de charité pour l'association.

She organized a charity lunch for the association.

Noun 'charité' as a modifier.

6

Le rituel du déjeuner s'efface peu à peu dans les grandes villes.

The ritual of lunch is gradually disappearing in big cities.

Pronominal verb 's'effacer'.

7

Nous avons partagé un déjeuner mémorable au bord de la mer.

We shared a memorable lunch by the seaside.

Adjective 'mémorable'.

8

Le déjeuner de presse a permis de clarifier la situation.

The press lunch helped clarify the situation.

Infinitive 'clarifier'.

1

L'œuvre 'Le Déjeuner des canotiers' illustre la vie sociale du XIXe siècle.

The work 'Luncheon of the Boating Party' illustrates 19th-century social life.

Proper noun/Title.

2

Ce déjeuner protocolaire exigeait une tenue de soirée.

This formal lunch required evening wear.

Adjective 'protocolaire'.

3

Le romancier utilise le déjeuner comme un huis clos psychologique.

The novelist uses the lunch as a psychological closed-door setting.

Metaphorical usage.

4

Malgré l'importance du déjeuner, il restait frugal dans ses habitudes.

Despite the importance of lunch, he remained frugal in his habits.

Conjunction 'malgré'.

5

Le déjeuner s'est éternisé en discussions philosophiques.

The lunch dragged on into philosophical discussions.

Pronominal verb 's'éterniser'.

6

Le caractère éphémère de ce succès évoque un déjeuner de soleil.

The ephemeral nature of this success evokes a short-lived moment.

Advanced idiom usage.

7

Le déjeuner servait de prétexte à une réconciliation familiale.

The lunch served as a pretext for a family reconciliation.

Noun 'prétexte'.

8

L'évolution sémantique du mot 'déjeuner' est fascinante.

The semantic evolution of the word 'déjeuner' is fascinating.

Linguistic terminology.

1

La sacralisation du déjeuner en France confine à l'obsession culturelle.

The sacralization of lunch in France borders on cultural obsession.

Abstract noun 'sacralisation'.

2

Le déjeuner, jadis premier repas du jour, a glissé vers le milieu de la journée.

Lunch, formerly the first meal of the day, shifted toward the middle of the day.

Adverb 'jadis'.

3

L'ordonnance de ce déjeuner suivait les règles strictes de l'étiquette.

The arrangement of this lunch followed strict rules of etiquette.

Noun 'ordonnance'.

4

Il n'est point de déjeuner plus plaisant que celui pris en bonne compagnie.

There is no lunch more pleasant than one taken in good company.

Literary negation 'ne... point'.

5

Le déjeuner de noces fut une débauche de saveurs et de couleurs.

The wedding lunch was a debauchery of flavors and colors.

Metaphorical 'débauche'.

6

On ne saurait concevoir un déjeuner dominical sans le traditionnel rôti.

One cannot imagine a Sunday lunch without the traditional roast.

Conditional 'saurait' for 'can'.

7

Le déjeuner, par sa durée, s'oppose à la dictature de l'immédiateté.

Lunch, by its duration, opposes the dictatorship of immediacy.

Philosophical contrast.

8

La déstructuration du déjeuner menace l'équilibre social français.

The destructuring of lunch threatens the French social balance.

Sociological terminology.

تلازمات شائعة

Prendre le déjeuner
Pause déjeuner
Déjeuner d'affaires
Déjeuner de famille
Déjeuner sur l'herbe
Bon déjeuner
Déjeuner copieux
Déjeuner léger
Heure du déjeuner
Plateau-déjeuner

يُخلط عادةً مع

déjeuner vs petit-déjeuner

déjeuner vs dîner

déjeuner vs déjeuner (verb)

سهل الخلط

déjeuner vs dîner

déjeuner vs petit-déjeuner

déjeuner vs goûter

أنماط الجُمل

كيفية الاستخدام

regional

In Switzerland, 'déjeuner' is breakfast. In France, it is lunch.

verb usage

The verb 'déjeuner' is often preferred over the noun 'prendre le déjeuner'.

أخطاء شائعة
  • Using 'la déjeuner' (wrong gender).
  • Using 'déjeuner' for breakfast in Paris.
  • Saying 'Je mange déjeuner' instead of 'Je mange mon déjeuner' or 'Je déjeune'.
  • Confusing the noun with the verb in writing.
  • Pronouncing the final 'r' in the noun.

نصائح

Take your time

In France, rushing through 'le déjeuner' is considered impolite or sad.

Gender check

Always pair it with masculine adjectives: un déjeuner 'froid', not 'froide'.

The 'Petit' Rule

If you want breakfast, add 'petit'. If you want lunch, leave it alone.

Business Lunch

Many deals are closed during a 'déjeuner d'affaires'.

Soft J

Practice the 'zh' sound to sound more native.

Travel Tip

If in Montreal, 'déjeuner' is your morning eggs!

Restaurant Tip

Look for 'le menu du jour' during déjeuner for the best value.

History

It literally means 'un-fasting'.

Quick bite

Use 'sur le pouce' to describe a very fast lunch.

Balance

A traditional déjeuner is the main meal of the day.

احفظها

أصل الكلمة

Latin 'disjejunare'

السياق الثقافي

Small amounts of wine were traditionally common during lunch, though this is decreasing.

Entrée, Plat, Dessert is the classic structure.

A standard lunch break is at least 1 hour.

تدرّب في الحياة الواقعية

سياقات واقعية

بدايات محادثة

"Qu'as-tu mangé pour le déjeuner ?"

"Tu veux déjeuner avec moi demain ?"

"Quel est ton restaurant préféré pour le déjeuner ?"

"Tu préfères un déjeuner léger ou copieux ?"

"À quelle heure prends-tu ton déjeuner ?"

مواضيع للكتابة اليومية

Décris ton déjeuner idéal.

Qu'est-ce que tu as mangé pour le déjeuner aujourd'hui ?

Est-ce que le déjeuner est important dans ta culture ?

Préfères-tu déjeuner seul ou avec des amis ?

Imagine un déjeuner avec une personne célèbre.

الأسئلة الشائعة

10 أسئلة

It is masculine: le déjeuner.

In France, no. It means lunch. Petit-déjeuner is breakfast.

You can say 'déjeuner' (verb) or 'prendre le déjeuner'.

It is an idiom for something that doesn't last long.

Yes, it is a major social and cultural event usually lasting 1-2 hours.

Typically between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.

Yes, 'mon déjeuner' means 'my lunch'.

A fixed-price lunch menu in a restaurant.

It is less common than in the US/UK and sometimes even discouraged.

Les déjeuners.

اختبر نفسك 180 أسئلة

/ 180 correct

Perfect score!

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