Ho molta fame
The English phrase 'I am very hungry' is translated into Italian as Ho molta fame.
You use Ho molta fame to express that you are very hungry. To express extreme hunger, you can use the informal expression Ho una fame da lupi! Another way to say you are terribly hungry is Sono terribilmente affamato/a. To intensify the phrase even further to mean 'I am extremely hungry', you can use Ho tantissima fame instead of molta.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Ho molta fame literally translates to 'I have much hunger'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Italian, hunger is treated as a noun that one 'has' (using the verb avere) rather than an adjective that one 'is' (using the verb essere). For the adjective forms, affamato is used for males and affamata is used for females.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Sono molto fame. You should use the verb for 'to have' instead.
Did you know?
- The Italian word for hunger fame sounds identical to the word for 'fame' in English, but they are completely unrelated.
- The word fame likely descends from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to disappear', linking the feeling of hunger to the disappearance of food.
- The idiom Ho una fame da lupi! literally translates to 'I have a hunger of wolves!', comparing your appetite to a predator.
Examples in context
- Ho molta fame adesso.I am very hungry now.
- Senza colazione, ho molta fame.Without breakfast, I am very hungry.
- Ho molta fame, andiamo a mangiare!I am very hungry, let's go eat!
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to do for lunch.
- AlessandroChiara, ho molta fame.Chiara, I am very hungry.
- ChiaraAnche io, Alessandro.Me too, Alessandro.
- AlessandroVuoi una pizza?Do you want a pizza?
- ChiaraSì, è un'ottima idea.Yes, that is a great idea.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fame, CC BY-SA 4.0.
