What is there for breakfast?

Question

I want to say the following sentence in English, but I am not sure which is more appropiate.

¿Qué hay para desayunar?

What is there for breakfast?

What do we have for breakfast?

What is for breakfast?

Thank you in advance.

What's for breakfast is good. - lagartijaverde, MAY 11, 2010

Answer 1

At home, "What's for breakfast?" if someone else has prepared it or is preparing it.

"What do we have for breakfast?" if you are going to prepare your own breakfast and want to know what foods are available for you to use.

"What do you have for breakfast?" if you are at a restaurant and are talking to a restaurant employee.

"What do they have for breakfast?" if you are at a hotel and ask your spouse about what they saw in the restaurant.

Now I am hungry

Hahaha yes so am I , thank you :p - culé, MAY 11, 2010

Answer 2

What is there for breakfast?

Yes, this is is a correct and commonly used phrase.

What do we have for breakfast?

Yes, this also is is a correct and commonly used phrase.

What is for breakfast?

We usually use the contraction and say "What's for breakfast?"

Ditto on the contraction. - Delores--Lindsey, MAY 11, 2010

Answer 3

What's for breakfast?

=

¿Qué hay para desayunar?

What is for breakfast is very literal and not commonly used in the United States or in most other places.

For more info, click here

What is there for breakfast = You are hungry and looking for something to eat for breakfast

What do we have for breakfast = We are hungry and looking for something to eat for breakfast

That would even be a better translation! - chicasabrosa, MAY 11, 2010

Answer 4

In my opinion the literal translation would be "what is there for breakfast" but no English speaking person would say that. They would use "What do we have for breakfast" instead.

Saludos, Chica

um, it may be more common than you think! - LateToDinner, MAY 11, 2010

I would say "What is there for breakfast?" It doesn't sound at all weird to me, and English is my first language. - MacFadden, MAY 11, 2010

I agree with the others. I say "What is there for breakfast" when I want to know what's available to eat in the house. - --Mariana--, MAY 11, 2010

OK guys! Understood ;). English is not my first language! - chicasabrosa, MAY 12, 2010

It *is* my first language and I can still screw it up! But as long as we can learn and still smile... - LateToDinner, MAY 13, 2010

Answer 5

Context and/or intonation could make one more or less "appropriate (your question, yes?" As you have just seen, they all work.
But with a sour look on your face and the right tone, "what is there for breakfast" can mean you are very disappointed with the choices that have been presented. And there are times when that would be very inappropriate.