colazione

breakfast

noun koh-lah-TSYOH-neh Rare

Origin: From Latin 'collatio' (gathering, contribution), via medieval usage for a light communal meal.

Also means

lunch (regional/archaic)

Usage Note

Colazione standardly means breakfast in modern Italian (fare colazione — 'to have breakfast'). However, in some southern regions and older usage it can mean lunch, in which case prima colazione specifies breakfast and pranzo is the standard word for lunch. The expression fare colazione (not mangiare la colazione) is the natural collocation — a learner false step is to say mangiare la colazione.

Examples

"Faccio sempre colazione con un caffè."

Natural Translation

I always have breakfast with a coffee.

Literal Translation

I-do always breakfast with a coffee.

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