French word

dalle

Pronunciation

IPA/dal/

Meaning

  • feminine nounhunger

Example

J'ai la dalle.

I'm hungry.

Illustration for dalle (hunger)

More examples

Il a la dalle, il n'attend pas le dessert.

He is starving; he isn't waiting for dessert.

Core concept

An empty stomach drives attention toward getting food immediately.

Common phrases

  • avoir la dalle

    be starving

Similar words

faim: The condition of feeling hungry and needing nourishment.
appétit: The wish or inclination to eat.
fringale: A sudden and intense craving for food.
creux: A mild sensation of hunger caused by an empty stomach.

Definition in French

Désigne l'état d'être affamé au point de vouloir manger tout de suite.

Word origin

The slang sense of dalle, originally meaning a stone slab or paving slab, developed in Paris colloquial speech to express intense hunger.

Usage tips

  • Avoir la dalle is familiar slang and expresses stronger, more immediate hunger than avoir faim.

Other meanings

  • slabnoun

Word lists with this word