Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to eat" in Italian: mangiare
mangiare
Mangiare (man-JAH-reh) is the Italian verb for "to eat". It is a regular -are verb: io mangio, tu mangi, lui/lei mangia, noi mangiamo, voi mangiate, loro mangiano. For the past, say ho mangiato (I ate, I have eaten).
Planning dinner with a roommate
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How to pronounce mangiare
Say it
man-JAH-reh
/manˈdʒa.re/
The weight of mangiare sits on JAH: man-JAH-reh. The gi makes a soft "j" and the i itself is silent, so mangio is MAN-joh, not man-GEE-oh. Tap the r once with the tip of your tongue.
"to eat" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| mangiare | to eat The everyday verb for eating anything, at any time. | The everyday verb for eating anything, at any time. |
| a tavola! | food's ready! come to the table! Called out at home to bring everyone to the table. | Called out at home to bring everyone to the table. |
| fare colazione | to have breakfast The normal way to talk about breakfast. Mangiare la colazione sounds odd. | The normal way to talk about breakfast. Mangiare la colazione sounds odd. |
| pranzare / cenare | to have lunch / to have dinner Common when you mean a specific meal: a che ora ceniamo? | Common when you mean a specific meal: a che ora ceniamo? |
| mangiare fuori | to eat out For going to a restaurant instead of cooking. | For going to a restaurant instead of cooking. |
How to use mangiare in real life
- 1Planning dinner with a roommate
Che ne dici se mangiamo fuori stasera?
How about we eat out tonight?
Che ne dici se…? is a friendly way to suggest a plan.
- 2At a friend's family lunch
Non riesco a mangiare altro, era tutto buonissimo!
I can't eat any more, it was all delicious!
A useful line when the host keeps offering seconds, which Italian hosts often do.
- 3Talking about your morning
Di solito a colazione mangio un cornetto al bar.
I usually have a croissant at the café for breakfast.
In Italy il bar is a café. A cornetto with a cappuccino is a classic breakfast.
Mistakes English speakers make with mangiare
Incorrect: Io mangiare la pizza.
Correct: Mangio la pizza.
Mangiare is the infinitive, so change the ending for the person: mangio means "I eat". You can drop io, because the ending already shows who.
Incorrect: Noi mangiiamo alle otto.
Correct: Noi mangiamo alle otto.
Verbs ending in -iare never double the i. Write mangiamo and tu mangi, not mangiiamo or mangii.
Good to know
Before a meal, Italians say buon appetito, and the usual reply is grazie, altrettanto (thanks, you too). Mealtimes tend to be later than in the US or UK: lunch is often around one o'clock and dinner around eight, and later still in the south. If you are invited to a family lunch, expect several courses and plan to stay a while.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Deciding where to eat with a friend in Bologna
ChatPal
Ho una fame da lupi! Dove mangiamo oggi?
I'm starving! Where shall we eat today?
You
Mangiamo in quella trattoria vicino a Piazza Maggiore?
Shall we eat at that trattoria near Piazza Maggiore?
ChatPal
Perfetto, lì fanno delle tagliatelle al ragù buonissime.
Perfect, they make amazing tagliatelle al ragù there.
You
Allora andiamo, non mangio da stamattina!
Let's go then, I haven't eaten since this morning!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to eat" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to eat" in Italian
Is mangiare a regular verb?
Yes. It follows the regular -are pattern with one spelling rule: the i disappears before an ending that starts with e or i. That's why you write tu mangi and mangerò (I will eat).
What is the past tense of mangiare?
The everyday past is ho mangiato, formed with avere: Ho mangiato troppo (I ate too much). Don't use essere with this verb.
How do I tell someone to eat, politely?
With a friend, say mangia! (eat!). With someone you call Lei, say mangi pure! Pure softens it, so it sounds like "please, go ahead".
Do Italians say mangiare for every meal?
They can, but specific verbs are more common: fare colazione for breakfast, pranzare for lunch, and cenare for dinner. Mangiare is the general word for the act of eating.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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