Vocabulary · Food and drink
Breakfast in English
A1
Breakfast in English: bread, cereal and eggs, breakfast drinks, pancakes and waffles, and the famous full English breakfast. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Food
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| bread(n.)“I eat bread for breakfast.” | food made from flour and baked | /bred/ |
| toast(n.) | bread browned by heat | /təʊst/ |
| butter(n.) | a yellow fat made from milk | /ˈbʌtə/ |
| jam(n.) | fruit cooked with lots of sugar | /dʒæm/ |
| honey(n.) | a sweet food made by bees | /ˈhʌni/ |
| cereal(n.) | dry grains you eat with milk | /ˈsɪərɪəl/ |
| egg(n.) | what a hen lays | /eɡ/ |
| bacon(n.) | thin slices of salty pork | /ˈbeɪkən/ |
Drinks
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| milk(n.) | a white drink from cows | /mɪlk/ |
| coffee(n.) | a hot brown drink from beans | /ˈkɒfi/ |
| tea(n.) | a hot drink made from leaves | /tiː/ |
| orange juice(n.) | a drink made from pressed citrus fruit | /ˈɒrɪndʒ dʒuːs/ |
| hot chocolate(n.) | a hot, sweet cocoa drink with milk | /hɒt ˈtʃɒklət/ |
Other breakfast favourites
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| pancake(n.) | a thin, round food made from batter | /ˈpænkeɪk/ |
| waffle(n.) | a crispy cake with square holes | /ˈwɒfəl/ |
| croissant(n.) | a curved pastry made with butter | /ˈkwæsɒn/ |
| yogurt(n.) | a thick food made from milk | /ˈjɒɡət/ |
| oats / porridge(n.) | grains cooked in hot milk or water | /əʊts/ |
Useful expressions
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| breakfast(n.) | the first meal of the day | /ˈbrekfəst/ |
| to have breakfast(v.) | to eat your morning meal | /hæv ˈbrekfəst/ |
| in the morning(phrase) | between waking up and midday | /ɪn ðə ˈmɔːnɪŋ/ |
| full English breakfast(n.) | eggs, bacon, sausages, beans and toast | /fʊl ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈbrekfəst/ |
A common mistake
To take breakfast ❌: say to have breakfast
In English, people mostly say to have breakfast. To eat breakfast is also correct (very common in the United States). But do not say to take breakfast: it is a common learner mistake. The same goes for have lunch and have dinner.
Practice quiz
Related pages: Breakfast
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Going further
The “Breakfast” topic is part of the contest vocabulary
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Practise on PLAYBreakfast: learn these words for good
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For teachers“Breakfast” vocabulary, ready for your lessons
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Frequently asked questions
Is it have breakfast or take breakfast?+
Say to have breakfast: I have breakfast at 7 every morning. To eat breakfast is also correct, especially in the United States. Do not say to take breakfast: it is a common mistake. It is the same for have lunch and have dinner.
What is a full English breakfast?+
It is a big British breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast. It is very filling, and people often have it in a café or a pub at the weekend.
Is it coffee with milk or white coffee?+
Both are correct. Coffee with milk simply describes the drink. White coffee is British and common in speech. In a coffee shop, a coffee with a lot of hot milk is a latte.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/breakfast
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.