k&k learn french 70 -
crever la dalle
"Crever a dalle" means to be really really hungry! You'll hear all about it and other alternative ways to say it in French (and in English) in show 70.
Literal translation
To burst the flagstone
English equivalent
To be starving
To be dying of hunger
To be starving to death
To be ravenous
To be fricken' hungry
To be famished
French equivalent
Crever de faim (to burst of hunger)
Avoir la dalle (to have the flagstone)
Avoir les crocs (to have the fangs)
Avoir très faim (to have much hunger)
Frog's phrase
Depuis la crise internationale et la pénurie de m&ms, on crève la dalle dans le Coffee Table Studio.
Translation
Ever since the international crisis and the shortage of m&ms, we're dying of hunger in the Coffee Table Studio.
Listen to our explanation of the phrase :
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I don't see any problems with "je meurs de faim", it sounds totally idiomatic and correct to me. Slightly dramatic but isn't this part of the fun?
I confirm what my fellow french citizens are saying. :) I say more often "je meurs de faim" than "je crève la dalle" or "j'ai la dalle". Besides, "je meurs de faim" is really ok for mamie or anyone... I was suprised not to hear you saying "starving", is it not a good word for very strong hunger??
F..., "starving" was written just up there. :)))
Hi k&k
I do use "je meurs de faim". Maybe more in a situation where we are ready to start dinner, when you want to start now, and now 10 minutes later.
"Avoir les crocs" "crocs" is prononced "cro" without the "c".
Btw: "crever" is slang for "to die"