Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| com fome | /kõ ˈfõ.mi/ (Brazil, word by word) |
| faminto | /faˈmĩ.tu/ (Brazil) /fɐˈmĩ.tu/ (Portugal) |
| esfomeado | /is.fo.meˈa.du/ (Brazil) /es.fo.meˈa.du/ (Brazil) |
The phrase is used to express that one is affected by hunger or desires food. For a more refined way to express the desire to eat something, you might use Desejo comer algo.
What does it mean word for word?
The standard expression com fome is a prepositional phrase that literally translates to "with hunger".
Which one should you use?
com fome is used for general hunger. In contrast, faminto is a much stronger adjective used to describe someone who is starving or famished. While esfomeado can mean hungry, it often carries a derogatory connotation of being "greedy" or "gluttonous".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, you can informally say tô com uma fome danada or tô morto de fome to mean you are very hungry. In Portugal, estou cheio de fome is a colloquial way to express the same feeling.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, which uses an adjective, the standard Portuguese expression com fome is a prepositional phrase. Because it is a phrase and not a gendered adjective, it does not change based on the gender of the person feeling hungry.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /kõ ˈfõ.mi/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying estou fome, which literally means "I am hunger". Instead, always use estou com fome to say "I am hungry".
Did you know?
- The word fome is distantly related to the English word 'disappear', tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to vanish' or 'to disappear'.
- If you are in Portugal, you might hear someone say they are 'full of hunger' using the expression cheio de fome to mean they are very hungry.
- The Portuguese word fome is a distant relative of the English word 'famine'.
Examples in context
- Tom está com fome.Tom's hungry.This sentence shows how to state that someone is hungry using com fome.Tatoeba #5498940 by ajdavidl, translation #2107541 by CK
- Eu fiquei com fome.I felt hungry.This sentence is useful for describing a past state of feeling hungry with com fome.Tatoeba #411515 by brauliobezerra, translation #18154 by CK
- Você está com fome?Are you hungry?This sentence demonstrates how to ask a question about hunger using com fome.Tatoeba #1006405 by alexmarcelo, translation #434242 by lukaszpp
- Desculpe, mas tenho fome. Seria possível encontrar um lugar para comer?Excuse me, but I am hungry. Would it be possible to find a place to eat?
- Estou com fome pra caramba! Vamos pedir uma pizza?I am freaking hungry! Shall we order a pizza?
- 331 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Camila are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- GabrielCamila, você está com fome?Camila, are you hungry?
- CamilaSim, estou com muita fome!Yes, I am very hungry!
- GabrielVamos comer algo agora?Shall we eat something now?
- CamilaSim, por favor.Yes, please.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hungry” translations and entries faminto, esfomeado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (com, fome) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries com, esfomeado, faminto, fome, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
