French Phrase
Le petit‑déj' commence à 6h.
Meaning
The sentence means “Breakfast starts at six o’clock.” It uses the informal abbreviation petit‑déj' and a concise time notation, which is common in everyday spoken French.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re talking about daily schedules, especially in casual conversation with friends, family, or coworkers about when the first meal of the day begins.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Lepetit-déj'commenceà6h
Definite article (Le)
Le is the masculine singular definite article, used before masculine nouns like petit‑déj'.
Noun abbreviation (petit‑déj')
Petit‑déj' is a colloquial contraction of petit déjeuner (breakfast); it remains masculine.
Present tense (commence)
Commence is the third‑person singular present of commencer, agreeing with the singular subject le petit‑déj'.
Preposition of time (à)
À introduces a specific point in time; with hours it means “at”.
Time expression (6h)
6h is the short written form of six heures; in speech it is pronounced “six heures”.
🗨In Conversation
Le petit‑déj' commence à 6h, alors on doit se lever tôt.
Breakfast starts at 6 a.m., so we have to get up early.
D'accord, je préparerai le café avant.
Alright, I’ll make the coffee beforehand.
✕Common Mistakes
Le petit‑déj' commence en 6h.
The preposition is correct; a common error is using “en” (e.g., *en 6h*) which is wrong for specific times.
Le petit‑déj' commencer à 6h.
Learners sometimes forget to conjugate the verb for the third‑person singular and say *commencer* (infinitive).
Le petit‑déj' commence à 6 heures.
While grammatically correct, writing *6h* is the usual concise form in schedules; using the full *6 heures* can sound overly formal in a casual note.
↔Alternatives
Le petit déjeuner débute à six heures.
Breakfast begins at six o’clock.
On commence le petit‑déj' à 6h.
We start breakfast at 6 a.m.
Le repas du matin commence à six heures.
The morning meal starts at six o’clock.
Cultural Tip
In France, breakfast (le petit‑déj') is usually light – a croissant, pain au chocolat, or a slice of baguette with butter and jam, accompanied by coffee or tea. Starting at 6 a.m. is typical for schools, factories, and early‑rising families, but many people enjoy a later, more relaxed breakfast on weekends. The slang form petit‑déj' is popular among younger speakers and in informal settings; in formal writing you’d use petit déjeuner.