Avere fame vs. essere affamato
The Italian expressions 'avere fame' and 'essere affamato' both mean 'to be hungry', but they are used in slightly different contexts and have subtle differences in intensity.
Avere fame
'Avere fame' is a more common and neutral way to express hunger. It literally translates to 'to have hunger'.
Ho fame, andiamo a mangiare?
(I'm hungry, shall we go eat?)
I bambini hanno sempre fame dopo la scuola.
(The children are always hungry after school.)
Scusa, ma ho fame. Possiamo ordinare qualcosa?
(Sorry, but I'm hungry. Can we order something?)
Essere affamato
'Essere affamato' is a more intense expression of hunger, often implying a stronger or more urgent need for food. It translates to 'to be famished' or 'to be starving'.
Sono affamato, non mangio da ieri sera!
(I'm starving, I haven't eaten since last night!)
Dopo la lunga escursione, eravamo tutti affamati.
(After the long hike, we were all famished.)
Il cane sembra affamato, diamogli da mangiare.
(The dog looks starving, let's feed it.)
Summary
While both 'avere fame' and 'essere affamato' express hunger, 'avere fame' is more commonly used for everyday situations, whereas 'essere affamato' conveys a more intense feeling of hunger. 'Avere fame' is suitable for casual conversations, while 'essere affamato' might be used when emphasizing extreme hunger or in more dramatic contexts.