What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the subject Tôi (I) and the adjective đói (hungry).
Which one should you use?
While Tôi đói is a neutral and straightforward way to express hunger, you can use Tôi đang cảm thấy đói to be more polite, as it translates to "I am feeling hungry." For much more casual situations, you might use Tao đói rồi or the exclamation Đói quá! to mean "I'm so hungry!" If you are very hungry, the casual phrase Tui đói lắm can be used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Tôi đói is a neutral and straightforward form. For a more polite approach, you can say Tôi đang cảm thấy đói. In highly casual or informal settings, you may use Tao đói rồi, Đói quá! or Tui đói lắm. It is important to note that the word for "I" changes to show respect: use Em when speaking to someone older or in a position of seniority, and use Con when speaking to parents or grandparents to show familial respect.
How does it change in a sentence?
To intensify the feeling of hunger, you can add the word quá after the adjective đói. For example, Tôi đói quá means "I am so hungry" or "I am very hungry."
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Tôi là đói. English speakers often mistakenly add the verb là (to be) before the adjective, but in Vietnamese, you should not use là to link a subject to an adjective like đói.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Tôi đói quá.I am so hungry.
- Bây giờ tôi đói.I am hungry now.
Example conversation
Minh and Hương are walking in the park.
- MinhHương ơi, tôi đói.Hương, I am hungry.
- HươngTôi cũng đói rồi.I am hungry too.
- MinhChúng ta đi tìm gì ăn nhé?Shall we go find something to eat?
- HươngÝ kiến hay đấy, Minh.That's a great idea, Minh.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (tôi, đói) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tôi, đói, CC BY-SA 4.0.
