In English, the use of meal names may vary depending on the country or region.
- Breakfast- this is always breakfast, in any region of any country.
- Lunch- lunch, dinner, that is, a daytime meal.
- Dinner- can be either lunch or dinner. Dinner is also a formal dinner that can take place both during the day and in the evening.
- Supper- usually dinner. Very rarely, supper can mean lunch.
Difference between fruit and fruits
The peculiarity of the word fruit is that, unlike the Russian “fruit\fruit”, it is used mainly as an uncountable noun. The noun fruit has two main meanings in English:
1. Fruits as a type of food, that is, a collective name for all fruits in general. In this case the word is used in the singular form fruit(although it is translated into Russian as “fruit”) without an article.
- We have fresh vegetables and canned fruit. – We have fresh vegetables and canned fruits.
- Do you eat fruit? – You are eating fruits?
- Don’t let Sammy have any fast food. If he's hungry, give him fruit. - Don't give Sammy fast food. If he gets hungry, give it to him fruit.
2. Various types of fruits. The word is used in plural form fruits without article.
- What fruits are good for breakfast? - Which fruits good for breakfast?
- Some fruits are toxic to dogs. - Some fruits toxic to dogs.
If you need to talk about one fruit, that is, about one fruit (for example, one apple), then they usually either call the fruit “by name” or use the expressions: some fruit, a piece of fruit.
- Sammy ate an apple. – Sammy ate an apple.
- Sammy ate some fruit. – Sammy ate the fruit.
- Sammy ate a piece of fruit. – Sammy ate a piece of fruit (not a piece of fruit).
- He always has a piece of fruit with his breakfast. – He always has a fruit (one fruit) for breakfast.
Note: in botany, the words a fruit – fruits can be used to refer to the fruit of plants. But this is in scientific texts.
3. The friuts of something- the fruits of something (figuratively)
- The fruits of your labor. - The fruits of your labor.
- The fruits of learning. - The fruits of teaching.
Difference between fish and fishes
Similar difficulty with words fish / fishes.
1. Fish in the meaning of “fish”, that is, one individual fish, is countable and can be used in the singular and plural, but without changing the form. That is, in the singular – fish, in the plural – fish.
- A fish called Wanda. – Fish named Wanda.
- How to catch a fish. – How to catch fish.
- How many fish did you catch? - How many fish did you catch it? (plural)
2. If we are talking about different types of fish, then this fishes(as fruits – different types of fruits).
- Ichthyology is the study of fishes. – Ichthyology is the science of fish(about types of fish).
- There are a lot fishes in the sea. - There is a lot in the sea fish species(we are not talking about the number of fish, but about the number of species of fish).
3. If we talk about fish in general as a type of food, the singular form is used fish. In this case, this word is used as an uncountable word, respectively, without an article.
- Do you eat fish? – You are eating fish?
- Fish is good for your health. – Fish good for your health.
Difference between drink and beverage
These are synonyms. Both words mean “drink” – both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. The difference is that the noun drink is used in everyday speech, and beverage is a slightly more strict version. For example:
- What drinks do you like? – Which ones do you like? beverages?
- Dear passengers, beverages can be purchased in the dining car. - Dear passengers, beverages can be purchased in the dining car.
Imagine that your English-speaking friend sent you a letter with the following content:
Dear Sir,
I request the pleasure of your company at dinner on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Looks like an invitation. But where are you invited? Dinner - it seems like lunch. But seven o'clock is a little late for lunch, isn't it? Let's try to figure out when it is customary to have lunch in England.
Old school textbooks told us that in England there are three main meals: breakfast(breakfast) in the morning, dinner(lunch) in the afternoon and supper(dinner) in the evening. Sadly, textbooks are two hundred years behind reality.
In the Middle Ages, everything really was like this: early in the morning, at dawn, a person ate his breakfast, soon after noon he ate a hearty dinner, and a light supper at sunset. The main role in this system was given to lunch. After sunset, medieval man went to bed to begin a new day at dawn.
But progress did not stand still - gradually people’s lives ceased to be strictly dependent on daylight hours; many continued to be active even after darkness fell. Supper, the meal-before-bedtime, began to move to a later time, in turn, and dinner from midday began to move closer and closer to the place that previously belonged to supper.
But it was difficult to endure the whole day from breakfast to late lunch (or early dinner), so it began to come into use lunch- food in the middle of the day. Strictly speaking, lunch existed before - word luncheon meant a light snack between breakfast and lunch. From a light snack it gradually turned into a full meal.
So now in most parts of the UK and US the system looks like this:
- breakfast - breakfast;
- lunch - lunch;
- dinner - dinner, which is usually eaten at six to seven o'clock in the evening;
- supper - also dinner, but later and lighter.
However, options are possible - in some regions of America, lunch is called dinner in the old fashioned way, and dinner is called supper. In the UK, dinner is more likely to be called dinner by people from lower social strata.
Just under no circumstances call your nightly foray to the refrigerator last supper - you may offend the religious feelings of your interlocutor. The Last supper is not the “last supper”, but the Last Supper.
It is important to note that in the minds of speakers, dinner has continued to be the main meal of the day since the Middle Ages, so if they want to give special meaning to lunch, then they would rather call it dinner, regardless of the time for which it is scheduled. A formal event or a family meeting at the table on Sunday is also dinner.
Don't forget about grammar. If the word lunch or dinner means eating as a process tied to a certain time of day, then the word is used without an article:
- We usually have dinner at about 6.30 p.m., then supper before we go to bed.
- We had some friends round for dinner on Saturday.
- We were just having our lunch.
If we mean a set of dishes on the table, then the article is most often present:
- The dinner was delicious.
Often, especially beginners, have difficulty identifying words breakfast, lunch, dinner And supper, which can act as or . In this article we will try to briefly convey the main meaning, which can most often be found in foreign dictionaries. Several examples and some features will also be presented.
Breakfast
Breakfast– breakfast, the very first meal in the morning. During it, in many countries it is customary to eat so much food so as not to feel hungry all day or until the next meal.
I don't eat breakfast.
I don't I'm having breakfast.He is going to have breakfast in bed this evening.
He's going tonight breakfast(have breakfast) in bed.When I lived in Yakutsk I used to have breakfast of meat and eggs everyday.
When I lived in Yakutsk, I usually every day had breakfast meat and eggs.
Lunch
Lunch– afternoon snack or lunch: a meal taken during the day (usually from 12-16 hours). In some countries, it is customary to eat light food during it in order to maintain strength until the end of the working day.
I"m just going to have soup for lunch.
I'm going to eat at dinner just soup.I"d like to try a vegetarian lunch, please.
I'd like to try dinner for vegetarians.There is no more time left, so I have to miss my lunch.
There's no more time, I'll have to miss it dinner.
Dinner
Dinner- dinner held in the evening, less often during the day (which is why it is often called lunch), during which it is customary tight eat up. As a rule, the last meal of the day is the day before.
They haven't had dinner yet.
They didn't have it yet dinner/They haven't had dinner yet.I only had salad of tomatoes and cheese for dinner.
On dinner I only had tomato and cheese salad.I don't have any plans for dinner tomorrow.
I have no plans for how to spend tomorrow dinner.
Supper
Supper– dinner, the last evening meal before bed, during which it is customary to consume light, low-calorie foods. It can often take place after dinner, which in this case can take place during the day or just before the start of the evening.
She is staying for supper.
She stays on dinner.My father"s always making me supper.
My father always makes me dinner.All I wanted for supper was the tea.
All I wanted for dinner was tea.
Some features
- Word " dinner" often used to denote a meal in a formal setting. Also " dinner" Can mean " lunch" and translated into Russian as "lunch" - depends on the time of meal: during the day or in the evening.
- In Canada (2010) they often have breakfast ( breakfast) at about 8 o'clock in the morning - it is quite filling. At 12.30 ( lunch) it's time for lunch, during which they eat a variety of sweets and drinks or heavier food - depending on habits and the time of year. At 15.30 ( dinner) many people gorge themselves very heavily on a variety of sandwiches, salads, and so on. Some move dinner closer to the beginning of the evening. Then, an hour before bedtime ( supper) many people easily snack on drinks and salad that do not stimulate the nervous system.
- In the central US, the word " dinner" means a formal meal (usually held during the day), or going to a restaurant at any time of the day. And "supper" is always dinner in an informal setting, mainly at home.
We can conclude that a lot depends on the culture, time, situation, habits of people, etc. But usually"breakfast" is breakfast, "lunch" is lunch, "dinner" and "supper" dinner - can interchange each other (less often, light and hearty dinner).
Could you please explain the difference between lunch, supper And dinner? Does the name depend on the time of meal, type of food or quantity?
- Answer
Well Pia, thank you for asking a question about my favorite topic, food and meals during the day. The expressions you"ve chosen - lunch, supper and dinner, belong to a larger set which includes words such as breakfast, tea and brunch. I"ll be talking about those later.
Well, Pia, thanks for asking about my favorite topic – food and eating throughout the day. The words you have chosen are lunch, supper And dinner, belong to a larger list that also includes words such as breakfast, tea And brunch. I'll talk about them later.
The expressions do relate to the time of day that you eat the meal and the type of food and the size of the meal. That's why it can get confusing.
The names really depend on the time of meal, and on the type of food, and on its quantity. Therefore, confusion may arise.
First of all, breakfast. This is simplest; it's the first meal of the day in the morning.
Firstly, breakfast (breakfast). It is the simplest: this is the first meal of the day in the morning.
In the middle of the day, you might have lunch or dinner. Lunch sounds more informal or more typical, particularly for people who are working.
In the middle of the day maybe lunch or dinner (dinner). Lunch sounds less formal or more familiar, especially for working people.
In the evening, you might have dinner or supper. I think that people who have a quick lunch in the middle of the day will say they have dinner in the evening and this dinner will be a good meal.
In the evening maybe dinner or supper (dinner). It seems to me that people who have a quick snack during the day lunch), will tell you what they eat in the evening dinner and in that case dinner (dinner) will be a more substantial meal.
A supper is usually a light meal and is probably had after a larger dinner has been had in the middle of the day.
Supper– usually a light snack and most likely follows a larger meal dinner in the middle of the day.
Confused? Well most people see a dinner as a more complete meal. A common lunch in England is a sandwich, but dinner might include soup, meat with vegetables, and then a dessert like apple pie and ice cream. So, dinner is really the main meal and people might have it in the middle of the day or in the evening. Lunch and supper are both light kinds of meal. Lunch is in the middle of the day, supper is in the evening.
Confused? So, most people think that dinner- This is a more complete meal. Typical lunch in England it's a sandwich, but dinner may consist of soup, meat and vegetables, and dessert, such as apple pie with ice cream. That is, dinner, in fact, is the main meal and can be either in the middle of the day or in the evening. AND lunch, And supper- This is a light snack. Lunch in the middle of the day, supper In the evening.
Now I mentioned there are some other meals. We talked about breakfast. Two more words that you could add to your list are brunch and tea. Brunch is a mixture of breakfast and lunch, as you can tell by the sound of the word: "brunch". And people usually have brunch as a replacement for both lunch and breakfast. Brunch is usually had at about 11 o"clock.
As I mentioned earlier, there are other meals. We have already talked about breakfast (breakfast). Two more words that can be added to the list - brunch And tea. Brunch is a combination breakfast And lunch (breakfast And lunch), as you can guess from the word "brunch" itself. Brunch usually replaces dinner (lunch), And breakfast (breakfast). Brunch It usually happens around 11am.
And the final word is tea. Now of course this is a drink, like tea and coffee, but it can also be a light evening meal. I think this word is often used in families, particularly with their children. "It"s tea time", "It"s time for tea!" This means their small evening meal.
And the last word - tea. Of course, this is a drink, like tea and coffee, but it can also mean a light evening snack. I think that this word is most often used in families, especially where there are children. “Tea time” means time for a small evening snack.
To finish, it is of course unusual to have breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, tea and supper all in one day. But let me tell you, not impossible. And from that comment you"ll understand that I have the ideal physique and dietary habits for radio and the internet and not for TV.
And in conclusion: of course, it is not customary to eat breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, tea And supper in the same day. But, I assure you, nothing is impossible. From this statement you can conclude that my physique and diet are ideal for radio and the Internet, but not for television.
- Note 1
If you want to know interesting facts about the origin of the English word "breakfast", check out the material "
What could be simpler than such concepts as breakfast, lunch, dinner in English? It turns out that in addition to translation: breakfast,dinner, supper There are certain cultural nuances that can mislead our brother. Such nuances appear especially clearly in American English, which has other words associated with meal times: lunch, brunch.
Let's discuss the points related to meal timing here. We'll also talk about some other aspects of eating in North America. Some things will be a revelation to you.
As a warm-up, I’ll probably start with common words that mean “food”, “eating”, “food”, “cuisine”.
The most common word that means "edible foods" is " food".
When you mean "food" or "food industry" use the word " foods" or " food products"The word foods often appears in the names of companies that produce food: Kraft Foods, Tyson Foods.
Foods is often used to describe a variety of food products:
In Italy there is a large variety of foods: pasta, pizza, salami.
When talking about what is cooked in different regions or countries, use the word cooking. From here: cooking book- cookbook. But, for example, a book with the title French Cooking will be more likely “Recipes from France” or “French Cuisine”.
For a more elegant description of cooking methods, you can use the French word " cuisine" .
In no case do not use English word kitchen meaning "cooking". Kitchen- the kitchen is the place where we prepare food.
A "dish", as in what is served at the table, is dish. For example, cold dishes- cold dishes, favorite dish- favorite dish. "Dish" meaning "plate" - plate.
Next, let us remember one interesting word that is difficult to find an equivalent in Russian. This word " meal". Meal- the meal itself. The closest meaning to this word is the Russian “meal”. For example:
It's important to have 3 meals daily. - It is important to eat three times a day.
I am inviting you over for a meal. - I invite you to visit for lunch or dinner (a.k.a: I invite you to share a meal).
Meal indicates the process of eating, but does not indicate the time when this “ritual” will take place.
I think we are sufficiently prepared. Now let's move on to the essence of our lesson: let's talk about breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, supper.
Breakfast
In America, the first meal of the day is breakfast or breakfast. This word comes from the expression to break the fast - that is, to break the fast or take a quick meal for the first time after fasting. In America, the time boundaries of the concept of breakfast are very clear: breakfast - eating between 7 and 10 am.
Lunch
Lunch- lunch in the USA - eating from noon to two o'clock in the afternoon. American lunch consists of light dishes (salads, sandwiches). In America, it is not customary to pump yourself up with soups or pieces of meat during lunch. If you are invited to lunch at a restaurant, then we will serve you first, second + dessert.
Brunch
Such an interesting word brunch- it's breakfast and lunch in one. Americans call brunch a brunch on the weekend, when breakfast can turn into lunch in time. During the brunch you will be offered egg omelettes, pancakes, burgers and some other light hot dishes.
Dinner
In the evening - from six to eight o'clock in the evening - it is time to have dinner. Dinner- dinner in America - also has certain nuances:
buffet dinner- self-service dinner or buffet
sit-down dinner– feast (that is, a regular dinner when you dine at the table in the company of several people)
Supper
Contrary to what American English textbooks teach us, in the USA there is still a word supper, which means late dinner - eating after 10 pm. You will hear this word in the southern states and Canada.
Now let's turn to some interesting points that often mislead new immigrants or visitors to America.
If you are invited to a cup of coffee or a cup of tea, don't expect anything more than a cup of coffee or a cup of tea. Cookies or a piece of cake can be added to the drink. Such an invitation does not include appetizers, salads, etc. Why is this happening? It’s just that the Americans invite you to visit between lunch and dinner. In America, people are not expected to eat heavily between two meals (lunch and dinner).
Another feature of visiting American friends is that it will be normal for them if you “ask” for food. In other words, if you come for a cup of tea on an empty stomach, do not hesitate to admit that you are hungry. They will immediately prepare something for you and serve it to you.
By the way, in the USA and Canada it is customary for guests to wait for an invitation to eat. If there is no such invitation, start eating after the owners of the house have started eating.
Sometimes you may be invited for a cocktail after work - the so-called 5-to-7 cocktail or 5-to-7 drinks. Such trips to the bar will be suggested to you by your work colleagues. During these happy hours, you can drink a glass of beer or some wine. Getting full is very bad form.
By the way, in America no one is forced to drink alcoholic beverages. They may offer it to you. But it's worth telling you" I don't drink" or " I don't drink alcohol", and no one will insist anymore.
Another important point: in America everyone is responsible for their actions. If someone allowed himself too much (too much alcohol) or began to behave rudely, people will not look down and look for excuses for such behavior (such as “Poor guy, he drank too much”). Such a person will be considered a boor, and next time they will simply not be invited to a party or a party.
Another important point for Americans when it comes to food is the desire to communicate. Such a desire to communicate is higher than the desire to show the well-being of the owner of the house through an abundant table filled with food. Therefore, the scarcity of the table is not the greed of Americans, but a focus on communication and meeting people.
I’ll end my story about food with some interesting observations that are typical of America and Americans:
- Americans usually drink lunch and dinner with cold water, to which ice is sometimes added.
- The words water, tap water in English mean only ordinary water. If you want another non-alcoholic drink, please specify: mineral water, soda water, juice, or a soft drink.
- When ordering tea, be sure to specify (especially in summer) whether you want hot or iced tea (“hot tea” or “ice tea”).
- Cakes and cakes are always eaten with a fork, not a spoon.
- If the name of a dish contains the word hot, this may indicate both a “hot dish” (hot hors d'oeuvres) and a spicy one: hot sauce for shrimp - spicy sauce for shrimp.
- Salad most often consists of greens and vegetables (this is not a Russian salad with sour cream).
- Americans do not eat lard because of its high fat content and high calorie content.
- Cutlets in English does not mean “cutlets”, they are “chops” or “escalopes”. They simply don’t make Russian cutlets in America. But you will find “meatballs” and “croquettes” (meatballs).
- Recipe is translated into Russian as “recipe”. In English, a recipe has only culinary meaning. A prescription written by a doctor will be a prescription in English, not a recipe!