mangio
The phrase "i eat" in Italian is mangio.
mangio means "I eat".
Which one should you use?
While mangio specifically means "I eat", the root mangia- is used for other persons, such as mangia for "he/she eats".
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject pronoun io (I) is often omitted because the verb ending -io already indicates the first-person singular.
Did you know?
- The Italian expression mangiare la foglia literally means 'to eat the leaf' but is used idiomatically to mean that someone has figured out a secret or a trick.
- The word mangia used for 'he/she eats' is also the root for the word mangiafuoco, which is a colloquial term for a fire-breather or someone with a fierce temperament.
- In Italy, the phrase mangia mangia is often used by hosts or parents to encourage guests and children to keep eating, acting as a friendly command rather than a statement.
Examples in context
- Io mangio in aula.I eat in the classroom.This sentence shows the use of mangio in a classroom setting.Tatoeba #4567154 by Guybrush88, translation #500368 by blay_paul
- Mangio con le mani.I eat with my hands.This sentence demonstrates using mangio with hands.Tatoeba #1131780 by Guybrush88, translation #1131189 by CM
- Io mangio una mela.I eat an apple.This sentence uses mangio to describe eating an apple.Tatoeba #1339058 by Guybrush88, translation #1098565 by cntrational
- Mangio pizza a casa di un amico.I'm eating pizza at a friend's house.
- 258 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Francesco are deciding what to do for lunch.
- GiuliaHai fame? Andiamo al ristorante.Are you hungry? Let's go to the restaurant.
- FrancescoSì, ho molta fame.Yes, I am very hungry.
- GiuliaCosa prendi? Io mangio una pizza.What are you getting? I'll eat a pizza.
- FrancescoOttima idea, prendo anche io la pizza.Great idea, I'll have a pizza too.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
