Avoir un petit creux

Informal French Expression


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Meaning	to be a little hungry, feel peckish, have the munchies
Literally	to have a little hollow
Register	informal
Pronunciation		[ah vwah roo(n) p(eu) tee creu]
IPA		[a vwa ʁœ̃ pə ti kʁø]

Usage notes: Instead of talking about "being hungry," the French say they have hunger: avoir faim. This grammar is maintained in the expression avoir un petit creux; literally, "to have a little hollow (in one’s stomach)." What it really means is "to be a little hungry."

Par exemple…

Tiens, j’ai un petit creux. Allons au bistrot à côté du parc.		Hey, I’m a little hungry. Let’s go to the bistro next to the park.
– Tu as faim ? – Ouais, j’ai un petit creux.		– Hungry? – Yeah, I could eat.

Variation: avoir un creux (dans l’estomac)

Creux is a noun in these expressions, but it can also be an adjective meaning "empty" or "hollow":