Thread: meals

I know expressions like завтракать and ужинать.

Is there a verb for having lunch in russian?

Кушать ланч.

обедать?

Thanks. I found a noun for 'lunch' in a dictionary: второй завтрак

Originally Posted by jz12

Thanks. I found a noun for 'lunch' in a dictionary: второй завтрак

"Второй завтрак" is rarely used. It is ленч, ланч or обед. "Ленч" is the form that was traditionally used in the past in translations from English, largely substituted by "ланч" in modern usage. However, most Russian call their afternoon meal "обед". Lunch break = "обеденный перерыв" or "перерыв на обед".

Originally Posted by translations.nm.ru

Originally Posted by jz12

Thanks. I found a noun for 'lunch' in a dictionary: второй завтрак

"Второй завтрак" is rarely used. It is ленч, ланч or обед. "Ленч" is the form that was traditionally used in the past in translations from English, largely substituted by "ланч" in modern usage. However, most Russian call their afternoon meal "обед". Lunch break = "обеденный перерыв" or "перерыв на обед".

That said, and im totally согласен. I do believe that ланч, depending on your cohorts... Is the 'cool' word to use.

Полдничать?

Я думаю, что lunch = полдник

У-гу, а на работе, когда у тебя lunch break, ты его называешь "полдник"? Вот и я думаю, что нет . Последний раз я "полдничал" в детском саду, там полдником называли лёгкий перекусон через несколько часов после обеда (а обед по времени как раз и соответсвовал lunch'у).

lol полдник. Ya i dunno how many people say this for lunch. I mean if u look at the word пол half дник (maybe?) from day. It looks more just like Halfday's snack.

3 points/questions:

1. Dogboy said one could "кушать ланч" -- would this be rather formal way of putting it, rather than "есть ланч" or "обедить?" I heard that "кушать" is closer to "to dine" than "to eat."

2. Am I the only one the despises "ланч?" It just sounds so forced, so conformist to Western style. I personally would greatly prefer plain old "обед." Then again, maybe it's just b/c I was personally scarred by a ресторан that offered a бизнес-ланч...

3. Would it be safe to say, then, that "полдник" is basically the juice/snack break you'd get in the first few years of schooling? That was pretty good; I don't miss it quite as much as I miss naptime, though...

Кушать подано, садитесь жрать!

Кушать is an over-polite form of есть and есть is certainly more common.
Personally I prefer обед as well.
They write бизнес-ланч because бизнес-обед would sound too funny :)

I didnt think кушать was that formal because around here thats what all the kids say, and you always hear it in russian songs too.

And if you want something more russian than ланч then say обед, i just like it because 1) Again its what all the kids say, 2) It is fun to say.

Yeah кушать is often used by kids and concerning them. But adults usually say есть. And yes, it sounds funny in a way.

Originally Posted by net surfer

Yeah кушать is often used by kids and concerning them. But adults usually say есть. And yes, it sounds funny in a way.

In Russia when my хозяйка gave me food, she always used кушать when telling me to eat. If you stay with a Russian family, it is probably the most important word you need to know. And 'Я сыт', although they'll still try and shove more food down your throat.

She said it because she was acting too polite. It's alright.

Very strange indeed. I was taught that кушать wasn't polite at all, and that есть is the proper way to say it. кушать is what kids and babsuhkas say... and mafioso...

You both manage to be right
"Кушать" is used in polite invitations (like "Кушайте на здоровье"), and it becomes ill-mannered when said about yourself ("Не мешайте мне, я кушаю")

Originally Posted by Indra

and it becomes ill-mannered when said about yourself ("Не мешайте мне, я кушаю")

Хммм... How is that different (more ill-mannered) from "Не мешайте мне, я ем!"?

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Very strange indeed. I was taught that кушать wasn't polite at all, and that есть is the proper way to say it. кушать is what kids and babsuhkas say... and mafioso...

A non-polite frequently used verb is жрать. There is also хавать, which probably should be considered slang.

Originally Posted by MikeM

Originally Posted by Indra

and it becomes ill-mannered when said about yourself ("Не мешайте мне, я кушаю")

Хммм... How is that different (more ill-mannered) from "Не мешайте мне, я ем!"?

"Я кушаю" is more self-conceited