Spanish Verb Desayunar Conjugation

The Spanish verb desayunar means to eat breakfast. It is a regular -ar verb like necesitar and ayudar. The tables below include the conjugations for desayunar in the present, past and future indicative, the present and past subjunctive, the imperative, and other verb forms.

Using the Verb Desayunar

The verb desayunar is formed with the prefix des-, which implies negation, like the English prefix dis-, and the word ayunar, which means to fast. Therefore, desayunar is similar to the English word breakfast, which implies breaking the fast. 

Other verbs like desayunar are almorzar, which means to eat lunch, and cenar, which means to eat dinner. Unlike in English, for these actions in Spanish there is no need to use the verb to eat, since the verbs themselves already mean to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner. 

You can use the verb desayunar whenever you would say to eat breakfast or have breakfast in English. It can be used to talk about when, where, or with whom you eat breakfast, as in Me gusta desayunar temprano (I like to eat breakfast early) or Ella siempre desayuna con su madre (She always eats breakfast with her mother), and it can be used to talk about what you eat for breakfast, as in Tú desayunas cereal (You eat cereal for breakfast).

Desayunar Present Indicative

Desayunar Preterite Indicative

The two past tense forms in Spanish are the preterite and the imperfect. Use the preterite when talking about actions that were completed in the past.

Desayunar Imperfect Indicative

The imperfect tense can be translated to English as "was eating breakfast" or "used to eat breakfast." You should use it to talk about ongoing actions in the past.

Desayunar Future Indicative

Desayunar Periphrastic Future

Desayunar Conditional Indicative

Desayunar Present Progressive/Gerund Form

The present participle, or gerund of -ar verbs is formed with the ending -ando. It can be used to form progressive verb forms such as the present progressive.

Present Progressive of Desayunar 

está desayunando She is eating breakfast 

Ella está desayunando con su familia.

Desayunar Past Participle

The past participle of regular -ar verbs is formed with the ending -ado. It can be used to form compound tenses like the present perfect.

Present Perfect of Desayunar 

ha desayunado She has eaten breakfast 

Ella ha desayunado con su familia. 

Desayunar Present Subjunctive

Desayunar Imperfect Subjunctive

The imperfect subjunctive has two different conjugations, which are used in different Spanish-speaking regions. Both options are equally valid.

Option 1

Option 2

Desayunar Imperative 

In order to give direct orders or commands, you need the imperative mood. Below are both the affirmative and negative commands for desayunar. Notice that there are differences between the two types of commands for the tú and vosotros forms.

Positive Commands

Negative Commands