Meals are an important part of everyday social life in the Francophone world, and simple questions about whether someone is hungry or wants something to eat often lead into eating together.
In English, you say you are hungry. In French, you say j'ai faim, literally "I have hunger." Thirst follows the same pattern with j'ai soif.
How to say hungry and thirsty in French
French uses avoir, "to have," with faim and soif:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| avoir faim | to be hungry |
| avoir soif | to be thirsty |
| J'ai faim. | I'm hungry. |
| J'ai soif. | I'm thirsty. |
| Tu as faim ? | Are you hungry? |
| Vous avez soif ? | Are you thirsty? |
The verb changes with the person, but faim and soif stay the same: j'ai faim, tu as faim, vous avez faim.
Saying how hungry or thirsty you are
You can add words such as très, un peu, and vraiment to describe how hungry or thirsty you are:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| J'ai très faim. | I'm very hungry. |
| J'ai un peu faim. | I'm a little hungry. |
| J'ai vraiment faim. | I'm really hungry. |
| J'ai très soif. | I'm very thirsty. |
| J'ai un peu soif. | I'm a little thirsty. |
| J'ai vraiment soif. | I'm really thirsty. |
For very strong hunger, you may also hear avoir une faim de loup, literally "to have a wolf's hunger":
| French | English |
|---|---|
| avoir une faim de loup | to be extremely hungry / starving |
| J'ai une faim de loup ! | I'm starving! |
Saying you are not hungry or thirsty
To say that you are not hungry or thirsty, make avoir negative with ne... pas:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je n'ai pas faim. | I'm not hungry. |
| Je n'ai pas soif. | I'm not thirsty. |
| Tu n'as pas faim ? | Aren't you hungry? |
| Elle n'a pas soif. | She isn't thirsty. |
| Nous n'avons pas très faim. | We're not very hungry. |
See ne... pas for more about forming negative sentences.
Ne... plus expresses a different idea. Je n'ai plus faim means that you are no longer hungry, often because you have eaten enough:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je n'ai plus faim. | I'm not hungry anymore. |
| Je n'ai plus soif. | I'm not thirsty anymore. |
Suggesting something to eat or drink
When someone is hungry or thirsty, you can suggest eating or getting something to drink:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Tu veux manger quelque chose ? | Do you want something to eat? |
| Tu veux boire quelque chose ? | Do you want something to drink? |
| On mange ? | Shall we eat? |
| On va boire quelque chose ? | Shall we get something to drink? |
| Je voudrais manger quelque chose. | I'd like something to eat. |
| Je voudrais boire quelque chose. | I'd like something to drink. |
Quelque chose means "something." With manger or boire, it lets you talk about wanting food or a drink without specifying exactly what you want.
On mange ? is a short, conversational way to suggest eating together.
Talking about appetite and feeling full
Hunger is what you feel when you need or want to eat. French also has vocabulary for appetite and for feeling satisfied after eating:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| avoir de l'appétit | to have an appetite |
| ne pas avoir d'appétit | to have no appetite |
| être rassasié / rassasiée | to be full / satisfied |
Bon appétit ! is a separate expression used when people are about to eat.
Saying bon appétit in French
Bon appétit ! is commonly said at the beginning of a meal to wish someone an enjoyable meal:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Bon appétit ! | Enjoy your meal! |
| Merci, toi aussi ! | Thanks, you too! |
| Merci, vous aussi ! | Thank you, you too! |
The response depends on whom you are speaking to. Toi aussi is informal and singular. Vous aussi is appropriate with vous.
From learning to practice
Hunger and thirst often lead naturally into a decision about eating or drinking. Understanding these expressions helps you follow that exchange, respond with how you feel, and take part when someone suggests getting food or a drink.