گرسنه
gorosne/ɡu.rus.ˈna/
The Persian word for hungry is گرسنه (gorosne).
گرسنه is the most common and universal word used to describe being affected by hunger or desirous of food. While گرسنه is the standard adjective, if you want to discuss the specific act of feeling hunger, you would use the phrase احساس گرسنگی کردن.
Meaning: affected by hunger, desirous of food (adj)
Which one should you use?
The adjective گرسنه (hungry) is the direct antonym of سیر, which means full or satisfied after eating.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "I am hungry," you use the adjective گرسنه followed by the first person singular present tense of the verb بودن (to be), forming the phrase گرسنه هستم.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ɡu.rus.ˈna/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the third syllable.
Did you know?
- In traditional Iranian hospitality, admitting you are گرسنه often triggers an immediate and insistent offer of food, regardless of the time of day.
- The distinction between گرسنه and گشنه is a result of centuries of linguistic evolution from Middle Persian forms like gursag and gušnag.
- If you are extremely hungry, instead of just intensifying the adjective, Persians often use the phrase دارم از گرسنگی می‌میرم, which literally means 'I am dying from hunger'.
Examples in context
- هنوز گرسنه‌ای یا سیر شده‌ای؟Are you still hungry or have you had enough?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is still hungry or satisfied using گرسنه.Tatoeba #11022779 by Amirreza_Farid, translation #2549892 by sharptoothed
- اگر امروز صبح صبحانه خورده بودم، الان گرسنه نبودم.If I had eaten breakfast this morning, I would not be hungry now.This sentence uses گرسنه to express a conditional state regarding hunger.Tatoeba #1005681 by mahdiye, translation #242152 by CK
- چرا گرسنه نیستی؟Why aren't you hungry?This sentence uses گرسنه to ask why someone is not experiencing hunger.Tatoeba #12879094 by Amirreza_Farid, translation #3738925 by CK
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Amir and Maryam are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- امیر Amirخیلی گرسنه هستی؟Kheyli gorsne hasti?Are you very hungry?
- مریم Maryamبله، خیلی گرسنه‌ام.Bale, kheyli gorsne'am.Yes, I am very hungry.
- امیر Amirپس بریم رستوران؟Pas berim restorān?So, shall we go to a restaurant?
- مریم Maryamایده خیلی خوبی است.Ide-ye kheyli khubi ast.That is a very good idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hungry” translations and entries گرسنه, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries گرسنه, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
