fame
/ˈfa.me/feminine
Hunger in Italian is fame.
The noun fame refers to the physical sensation of needing food. It is often used in the phrase morire di fame (to die of hunger), which is frequently used hyperbolically to mean that someone is extremely hungry, similar to how an English speaker might say they are "starving".
Meaning: need for food (noun)
Which one should you use?
While fame refers to the physical sensation of hunger, the Italian words for renown or celebrity are celebrità or fama.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the state of being hungry, Italian uses the verb avere (to have) plus the noun fame, rather than using an adjective.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈfa.me/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistake the Italian word fame for the English word "fame" (meaning renown). However, in Italian, fame means hunger.
Did you know?
- In Italy, if someone says ho una fame da lupi, they are literally saying they have 'the hunger of wolves'.
- The word fame descends from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to disappear', suggesting that hunger is a state where one's strength or being fades away.
- While fame describes the physical need for food, the word fame is also used in expressions of passion or greed for non-food items, such as fame di potere for 'hunger for power'.
Examples in context
- Tom morì di fame.Tom died of hunger.This sentence shows the use of fame in the context of dying of hunger.Tatoeba #5600604 by Guybrush88, translation #1545481 by CK
- Sto morendo di fame.I'm dying of hunger.This sentence shows the use of fame to express extreme hunger.Tatoeba #707148 by Guybrush88, translation #707144 by papabear
- Sta morendo di fame.He's dying of hunger.Tatoeba #8502854 by Guybrush88, translation #10144383 by ddnktr
- Mi scusi, ma ho una gran fame.Excuse me, but I'm very hungry.
- Sto provando una forte sensazione di fame.I'm experiencing a strong feeling of hunger.
- Ho una fame da lupi!I'm as hungry as a wolf!
- Sto morendo di fame!I'm dying of hunger!
- La mia pancia grida aiuto!My stomach is screaming for help!
- Dopo questa camminata, ho un appetito da lupi!After this walk, I have an appetite like a wolf!
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Chiara are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- AlessandroChiara, hai fame?Chiara, are you hungry?
- ChiaraSì, ho molta fame.Yes, I am very hungry.
- AlessandroAndiamo a mangiare qualcosa?Shall we go eat something?
- ChiaraSì, andiamo subito!Yes, let's go right away!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hunger” translations and entries fame, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fame, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
