Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Desayuno yogur con frutas en casa. - I have yogurt with fruit for breakfast at home.

Desayuno here is the first-person singular present indicative of the verb desayunar (“to have breakfast”), so it means “I have breakfast.” Although desayuno can also be a noun meaning “breakfast,” the conjugation and absence of an article make it clear it’s functioning as a verb.

Why is the subject pronoun yo omitted in the sentence?

In Spanish, subject pronouns are often dropped because the verb ending -o in desayuno already signals that the subject is “I.” Adding yo (“I”) would be grammatically correct but redundant:
• (Yo) desayuno yogur con frutas en casa.

Why is yogur spelled without a “t,” unlike the English word “yogurt”?

Spanish adopts yogur from French, which uses a single “r” and no “t” at the end. English borrowed the word later and standardized it as yogurt with a “t.” Both refer to the same dairy product, but the Spanish standard spelling is yogur.

Why is the preposition con used instead of de in yogur con frutas?

Con means “with,” indicating accompaniment—yogurt served together with fruit pieces. If you said yogur de frutas, it would mean “fruit-flavored yogurt” or “yogurt made from fruits,” not yogurt served with chunks of fruit.

Can you use fruta (singular) instead of frutas (plural) here? What’s the difference?

Frutas (plural) highlights that you have several pieces or possibly different kinds of fruit.
Fruta (singular) can act as a mass noun (like “fruit” in English) to talk about fruit in general.
Both are correct:
• Desayuno yogur con frutas → “I have yogurt with fruits (pieces of fruit).”
• Desayuno yogur con fruta → “I have yogurt with fruit (in general).”

Why is there no article before yogur or frutas? For example, why not un yogur or unas frutas?

When stating habitual routines or general preferences, Spanish often omits the indefinite article:
• Desayuno yogur con frutas (“I have yogurt with fruit”).
If you want to specify quantity or refer to a particular item, you can add an article:
• Desayuno un yogur con unas frutas (“I have one yogurt with some pieces of fruit”).

What does en casa mean, and could you say en mi casa instead?

En casa literally means “at home.” In Spanish, the possessive is usually omitted when it’s clear you’re talking about your own home.
You can say en mi casa (“in my house/at my home”) if you want to be more specific or contrast with someone else’s home, but in everyday speech en casa suffices.

Could you use tomo instead of desayuno? For example, Tomo yogur con frutas en casa?

Yes. Spanish speakers often use tomar (“to take/have”) with meals and drinks.
• Tomo yogur con frutas en casa conveys the same idea: “I have yogurt with fruit at home.”

Why is the simple present used here? Would Spanish use a continuous tense like English “I am eating”?

Spanish typically uses the simple present for habitual or regular actions, so desayuno shows that this is something you usually do. To emphasize the action in progress right now, you’d use the present continuous:
• (Yo) estoy desayunando yogur con frutas en casa.