Meaning
To eat very little.
Cultural Background
In France, finishing your plate is generally considered polite. Using this idiom is a graceful way to explain why you haven't finished your meal without offending the host. French parents often use animal comparisons to encourage children to eat. If a child has an 'appétit d'oiseau', the parent might try to make the food more appealing. French literature often uses bird imagery to describe delicate, fragile, or ethereal characters, often linking their small appetite to their spiritual or sensitive nature.
Use it to be polite
If you can't finish a meal at a French person's house, use this phrase. It shifts the 'blame' from the food to your own small appetite.
Don't forget the 'd'
Always use 'd'oiseau', never 'de oiseau'. The elision is mandatory.
Meaning
To eat very little.
Use it to be polite
If you can't finish a meal at a French person's house, use this phrase. It shifts the 'blame' from the food to your own small appetite.
Don't forget the 'd'
Always use 'd'oiseau', never 'de oiseau'. The elision is mandatory.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'avoir'.
Ma grand-mère ___ un appétit d'oiseau.
'Ma grand-mère' is the third person singular (elle), so we use 'a'.
What does 'avoir un appétit d'oiseau' mean?
Si j'ai un appétit d'oiseau...
The idiom refers to eating very small amounts.
Match the idiom with its opposite.
Match the following:
A wolf's appetite is the opposite of a bird's appetite.
Choose the best response.
Serveur: 'Voulez-vous un deuxième plat?' Client: 'Non merci, ___.'
This is a natural way to decline more food.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Appetite Levels in French
Practice Bank
4 exercisesMa grand-mère ___ un appétit d'oiseau.
'Ma grand-mère' is the third person singular (elle), so we use 'a'.
Si j'ai un appétit d'oiseau...
The idiom refers to eating very small amounts.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A wolf's appetite is the opposite of a bird's appetite.
Serveur: 'Voulez-vous un deuxième plat?' Client: 'Non merci, ___.'
This is a natural way to decline more food.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
3 questionsNo, it is generally neutral or even affectionate. However, don't use it if you suspect someone has a serious health issue.
Yes, the phrase 'un appétit' is masculine, but it describes the appetite of any person, regardless of gender.
Yes, it is a very common alternative that means the exact same thing.
Related Phrases
Avoir une faim de loup
contrastTo be starving / have a wolf's hunger
Manger comme quatre
contrastTo eat like four people
Picorer
similarTo peck at food
