Learn Spanish (Spain): El menú del día tiene primero, segundo y postre. - The set lunch menu has a first course, a second course and dessert.

El menú del día tiene primero, segundo y postre.

The set lunch menu has a first course, a second course and dessert.

Breakdown of El menú del día tiene primero, segundo y postre.

Questions & Answers about El menú del día tiene primero, segundo y postre.

Why is it primero here instead of primer?

You only drop the final "o" to make primer when the word comes directly before a masculine singular noun, like primer plato. Because the noun plato (course or plate) is left out of this sentence entirely, you must use the full word primero.

Where is the word for "course" in this sentence?

It is implied! In Spain, when talking about daily meals, people almost always drop the word plato (plate or course). Saying primero and segundo is the most natural way to say "first course" and "second course".

Why doesn't the sentence use un before the courses, like tiene un primero?

When listing the standard categories that make up a meal, Spanish often skips the indefinite article (un or una). You are just naming what the menu consists of in general, rather than counting the individual items.

Does el menú del día just mean the daily specials?

Not exactly. In Spain, el menú del día is a very specific cultural concept: a set lunch menu offered at a fixed, usually budget-friendly price. It almost always includes a starter, a main dish, a drink, bread, and either dessert or coffee.