Сначала мы завтракаем.

Breakdown of Сначала мы завтракаем.

мы
we
завтракать
to have breakfast
сначала
first

Questions & Answers about Сначала мы завтракаем.

The word сначала translates to "first" here. Is this the same word I'd use to say "the first day"?
No, сначала is a time word (an adverb) meaning "at first" or "firstly." It is used to show the order in which things happen. To say "the first day," you need a describing word (an adjective) like первый. In stories or plans, you will very often see сначала paired with потом (then / afterwards).
Is it a coincidence that the verb завтракаем looks so much like the time word завтра (tomorrow)?
Not a coincidence at all! The Russian word for breakfast, завтрак, historically comes from the idea of setting food aside "for tomorrow" morning. Russian then turned that noun into the action verb you see here: завтракать (to have breakfast).
In English we say "we have breakfast" using two words, but here it's just one word (завтракаем). Is that the standard way to say it?
Yes, when talking about meals, Russian almost always uses a single specific verb rather than saying "eat" or "have" plus the noun. Just like завтракать means "to have breakfast," there are single verbs for having lunch (обедать) and having dinner (ужинать). Here, the verb ends in -ем because it matches мы (we).

Learn Сначала мы завтракаем and more in Russian

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • Practice with interactive exercises
  • Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • Learn at your own pace — completely free