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How to Say ‘He's hungry.’ in Portuguese

Tem fome.

tang FOH-muh

[tang FOH-muh]

💬 Usage Tip: Hunger is something you "have", not something you "are": tem fome, literally "has hunger". Same with tenho sede "I'm thirsty" and tenho frio "I'm cold".

Phrase Breakdown

Tem

[tang]

has

Third-person singular of 'ter', used with a participle to talk about recent experience.

Example

Ela tem descansado bastante.

She has been resting a lot.

fome

[FOH-muh]

hunger / hungry

Used with tenho to say you are hungry.

Example

Tenho fome, vamos comer.

I'm hungry, let's eat.

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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