j'ai faim
To say "I'm hungry" in French, use j'ai faim.
There are several other ways to express hunger depending on the intensity and the setting. If you are extremely hungry, you might use the informal expressions j'ai les crocs (I'm starving) or j'ai trop la fringale (I'm really hungry).
Meaning: I'm hungry (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase j'ai faim literally translates to "I have hunger."
How does it change in a sentence?
Because this phrase uses the verb avoir (to have), you must use the first-person singular conjugation ai.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying je suis faim.
Did you know?
- The slang phrase j'ai les crocs literally translates to 'I have the fangs', imagining the speaker as a predator ready to bite.
- In France, saying j'ai faim during a formal meal can be seen as impatient or impolite, as the courses are expected to follow a set rhythm.
- The root of faim traces back to an ancient Proto-Indo-European word meaning 'to disappear', likely referring to the way hunger makes one's strength or vitality vanish.
Examples in context
- J'ai faim et soif.I'm hungry and thirsty.This sentence shows how to combine hunger and thirst.Tatoeba #1710298 by sacredceltic, translation #1690392 by Spamster
- J'ai faim. Et toi ?I'm hungry. How about you?This sentence is useful for asking the other person how they are feeling.Tatoeba #9167299 by simias, translation #2354171 by Hybrid
- Dieu que j'ai faim !Gosh, I'm hungry.This sentence demonstrates how to add emphasis to your hunger.Tatoeba #1853202 by sacredceltic, translation #1853196 by mattezell
- Excusez-moi, mais j'ai faim. Pourriez-vous me recommander un bon restaurant?Excuse me, but I'm hungry. Could you recommend a good restaurant?
- Je vais prendre une petite collation, j'ai une petite faim.I'm going to have a small snack, I'm a bit hungry.
- Je suis en retard, j'ai la dalle. On se retrouve directement au restaurant?I'm running late, I'm hungry. Shall we meet directly at the restaurant?
- Je suis en chemin vers le restaurant. J'ai les crocs, préparez-moi quelque chose de délicieux!I'm on my way to the restaurant. I'm starving, prepare something delicious for me!
- Après cette promenade, j'ai faim et j'ai soif. Allons dans un café pour manger et boire quelque chose!After this walk, I'm hungry and thirsty. Let's go to a café to eat and drink something!
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- HugoLéa, est-ce que tu veux manger ?Léa, do you want to eat?
- LéaOui, j'ai faim maintenant.Yes, I'm hungry now.
- HugoMoi aussi, j'ai faim.Me too, I'm hungry.
- LéaOn va au restaurant ?Shall we go to the restaurant?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I'm hungry” translations and entries j'ai faim, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries faim, j'ai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
