manger comme quatre
/mɑ̃.ʒe kɔm katʁ/
To say "eat like a horse" in French, you say manger comme quatre. Wiktionary also lists manger comme un ogre.
Meaning: eat large amounts (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| manger comme quatre | /mɑ̃.ʒe kɔm katʁ/ |
| manger comme un ogre | /mɑ̃.ʒe kɔ.m‿œ̃.n‿ɔɡʁ/ |
These phrases are used to describe someone who eats large amounts of food.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase manger comme quatre literally translates to "to eat like four", where quatre (four) is an elliptical way of referring to "four people".
Which one should you use?
While manger comme quatre emphasizes the quantity of food relative to the number of people, manger comme un ogre emphasizes a voracious or beastly manner of eating.
How do you pronounce it?
/mɑ̃.ʒe kɔm katʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the literal translation manger comme un cheval, but you should use manger comme quatre or manger comme un ogre instead.
Did you know?
- The term 'ogre' is related to the word 'orque', the French word for a killer whale, through an ancient linguistic process called metathesis.
- The French word manger and the English word 'masticate' both derive from the same ancient root meaning 'to chew'.
Examples in context
- Mon ami Michel mange comme un ogre ! Il est capable de dévorer un repas entier en quelques minutes.My friend Michel eats like an ogre! He is capable of devouring a whole meal in just a few minutes.
- Lady Camille a toujours eu un appétit d'ogre. Elle peut manger de grandes quantités sans jamais se sentir rassasiée.Lady Camille has always had an appetite like an ogre. She can eat large quantities without ever feeling full.
- Mon fils peut manger comme quatre.My son can eat like a horse.
- Ne t'inquiète pas, il va manger comme quatre !Don't worry, he is going to eat like a horse!
- Après le sport, j'ai tendance à manger comme quatre.After sports, I tend to eat like a horse.
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are eating lunch together.
- LucasTu as encore faim, Lucas ?Are you still hungry, Lucas?
- EmmaOui, j'ai envie de manger comme quatre aujourd'hui.Yes, I feel like eating like a horse today.
- LucasC'est impressionnant, Emma n'en finit jamais.It's impressive, Emma never finishes.
- EmmaC'est parce que j'ai sauté le petit-déjeuner.It's because I skipped breakfast.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eat like a horse” translations and entries manger comme quatre, manger comme un ogre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries comme, manger, manger comme quatre, manger comme un ogre, ogre, quatre, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
