voglio da mangiare
To say "I want food" in Italian, say voglio da mangiare, literally "I want something to eat".
voglio da mangiare directly tells someone you are hungry and want to eat. Italians also often just say Ho fame, voglio mangiare. (I'm hungry, I want to eat).
What does it mean word for word?
voglio means "I want" and da mangiare means "something to eat". Voglio del cibo. is a more literal version with the noun for food.
Which one should you use?
voglio da mangiare sounds natural at home. To ask more politely, use the conditional vorrei (I would like), as in vorrei qualcosa da mangiare. Potrei avere del cibo? means "Could I have some food?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
voglio da mangiare is informal and can sound blunt or demanding with strangers or in formal settings. vorrei qualcosa da mangiare is the polite choice.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say you are hungry, Italian uses ho fame, literally "I have hunger", rather than an adjective.
Did you know?
- The word mangiare did not come directly from Latin into Italian, but was instead borrowed from the Old French word mangier.
- In Italian, the word fame for 'hunger' is also used in the common idiom aver fame di, which describes a passionate longing for things like 'knowledge' or 'success'.
- While voglio da mangiare is direct, Italians often use the word spuntino to describe a small snack between meals, which is a culturally vital part of the daily eating routine.
Examples in context
- Vorrei molto ciboI would like a lot of food
- Voglio del cibo, sono molto affamato!I want some food, I am very hungry!
- Potrei avere del cibo? Ho una fame incredibile!Could I have some food? I'm incredibly hungry!
- Vorrei cibo, per favore. Mi scuso per la mia franchezzaI would like some food, please. I apologize for my bluntness
- Voglio da mangiare, ho molta fame!I want food, I'm very hungry!
- Voglio da mangiare subito.I want food right now.
- Mamma, voglio da mangiare!Mom, I want food!
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are walking in the city and feel hungry.
- SofiaMatteo, ho molta fame, voglio da mangiare.Matteo, I am very hungry, I want food.
- MatteoAnche io, Sofia. Cerchiamo un ristorante.Me too, Sofia. Let's look for a restaurant.
- SofiaC'è una pizzeria qui vicino?Is there a pizzeria nearby?
- MatteoSì, andiamo subito!Yes, let's go immediately!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries da, mangiare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
