# morto di fame



## joe86

Hi folks 

How to say _morto di fame_ in English? I've only found _half-starved_ in the dictionary but I don't think it gives the same idea as I mean...

Here is an example: _quel morto di fame bazzica sempre qui in giro e ruba il nostro cibo_

My attempted translation:_ that (half-starved man) always hangs around here and steals our food_

_Half-starved_ does not convince me at all as it probably refers to somedody who is in the process of starving to death (correct me if I'm wrong)...while I mean it in a sort of offensive way. A _morto di fame_ in Italian is not necessarily a tramp or somebody who begs for money in the street but rather a sort of nerd who asks for favours or takes other people's stuff even if they do not need them. Is that clear enough?

I'll be waiting for you responses

_Joe _


----------



## Alxmrphi

Well, there is 'scav' but I think that's only used in my part of England, the Italian is* scroccone* if I'm not mistaken? Is that what it is like?

I can't imagine someone stealing food if they aren't a tramp really. A nerd who takes people's stuff when they don't need anything, is also quite confusing, I can't imagine it, I imagine nerds to be shy and not go out of their way to ask for favours etc..

Do you mean someone who takes advantage of you? Always seems to take-take-take, I'd probably still say 'scav' for that but I'm trying to find a more universal word....

Hmm, I might have to come back when I can think of one...


----------



## tomzenith

Posso dire certamente che non e' 'half-starved', ma e' tanto dificile a dire che cos'e'. Personalmente, penso che direi 'scrounger'.


----------



## joe86

I understand I probably did not explain myself properly...I think _morto di fame_ is a colloquial way to say _scroccone_...so the terms _scrounger_ or perhaps _freeloader_ could fit the bill here. I don't about _scav _as I had never come upon it before.

You'd be wondering what I need it for...well, I'm actually going to put up a notice in my kitchen to warn the  fucking _scrounger_ who stole my food against trying again.

What word would you use in this case? 

Cheers


----------



## tomzenith

> warn the  fucking _scrounger_ who stole my food against trying again.



I think that'd do it.


----------



## Alxmrphi

Well it depends on how funny you'd want it to be, I'd probably use "tramp" or something, to add a funny little insult that they acted like a tramp by doing it.. "_Can the tramp that stole my food keep his grotty fingernails away from the fridge_" or something, but that's just me

Scrounger is probably the best option, but I just wish there was something better I could suggest, as it still doesn't sound great to me...


----------



## joe86

Thanks for the nice suggestion Alex, but I do not think I mean it as a funny little insult. My notice is definitely meant to be offensive and sound like a real warning...if I catch him red-handed I will smash his face...

Should you come up with a better option just let me know!

_Joe_


----------



## federicoft

joe86 said:


> I understand I probably did not explain myself properly...I think _morto di fame_ is a colloquial way to say _scroccone_...so the terms _scrounger_ or perhaps _freeloader_ could fit the bill here. I don't about _scav _as I had never come upon it before.



I think he's something more than a _scroccone_.
According to Garzanti:
_un morto di fame_, (_fig_.) uno spiantato

A 'morto di fame' is a scrounger, a mean person, a slob or a combination of all these.


----------



## Alxmrphi

'a slob' has nothing to do with the other 3 meanings federicoft a slob is someone that is messy, never cleans up, lives in filth, never tidies their room, makes a mess everywhere they go, in a way I am a slob, but it also means like someone who is fat and will spill food down their clothes and think it is ok to keep wearing them.


----------



## federicoft

Alex_Murphy said:


> 'a slob' has nothing to do with the other 3 meanings federicoft a slob is someone that is messy, never cleans up, lives in filth, never tidies their room, makes a mess everywhere they go, in a way I am a slob, but it also means like someone who is fat and will spill food down their clothes and think it is ok to keep wearing them.



Yep, that's the point. I would definitely call someone who wears ratty old clothes, lives in a hovel and doesn't care about his looks a 'morto di fame'. A 'morto di fame' is more than just a scrounger.


----------



## Alxmrphi

federicoft said:


> Yep, that's the point. I would definitely call someone who wears ratty old clothes, lives in a hovel and doesn't care about his looks a 'morto di fame'. A 'morto di fame' is more than just a scrounger.



Ahhhh I see


----------



## brian

How about a _dirty scroungy slob_.


----------



## london calling

brian8733 said:


> How about a _dirty scroungy slob_.


Like it!
I would have said "slob", full stop, but this has real class....!


----------



## You little ripper!

Sponger or parasite might be a couple of other options.

_*If I ever catch the scum-sucking parasite............*_


----------



## london calling

Charles Costante said:


> Sponger or parasite might be a couple of other options.
> 
> _*If I ever catch the scum-sucking parasite............*_


It's mine! Brian and Charles, whenever I need a decent insult I will turn to you for help and inspiration!


----------



## You little ripper!

london calling said:


> It's mine! Brian and Charles, whenever I need a decent insult I will turn to you for help and inspiration!


I can't speak for Brian, Jo, but I must have been channeling when that came to mind, because there is no way I could come up with anything so offensive by myself!


----------



## rc10024

Morto di fame ("morto de fame" in roman), which literally means "died of hunger" is used to describe somebody who has a lot of money but acts as if he or she is starving.  Freeloader and sponge are fairly close.  It's a real pejorative expression, an insult used to challenge somebody who's being really cheap about something.  I have a client who is very rich who doesn't want to pay a bill for services rendered (not a lot of money) and made a lower counteroffer, and my reaction was "morto de fame!!!"


----------



## fabeleonori

I think that *scroccone* wouldn't be a good synonym of *morto/a di fame*.  The latter, in italian, is rather used to refer in an insulting or  mocking or sneering attitude to a destitute or considerably poor person,  no matter if he or she steals, scrounges, begs or bothers people in any  active way. For this reason the expression is certainly to be  considered very impolite (even if not obscene) and offensive, rather  suitable to a cynical or arrogant tone. It can be used in a hyperbolic  sense, to refer to average people who are not really poor, but can't  afford luxurious items or services, generally by people who want to  remark their wealthy conditions. 
Sometimes, in colloquial, very informal contexts, it is used as a synonym of *tirchio* or *spilorcio* (stingy, tight, I suppose); in this case it can take on a jocking or amusing hint, not necessarily with a sneering intention.
It  takes on a humorous, friendly sense especially if self-referred (e.g.:  "Sono proprio un morto di fame, non posso permettermi neanche un caffè")  or jockingly referred to a very familiar interlocutor (e.g.: "Non le  hai pagato il conto? Sei proprio un morto di fame!").
I don't know if there is an English expression that suites exactly to it. Of course I am curious to know.


----------



## joanvillafane

Nobody has mentioned "cheapskate" - I think that's a good fit in most contexts.

Funny, I have to add this here - my Italian parents and grandparents mostly spoke English but there were some words we heard in Italian and NEVER heard the English equivalent.  "Morto di fame" is one of these.   So maybe there is no real good English equivalent!


----------



## chipulukusu

I would like to add to this thread saying that, to my knowledge, in Italian we also call _morto di fame_ a person which acts extremely stingily, no matter how rich of poor he/she is.
E.g. a man approach the driver of an expensive posh car at the traffic lights and start wiping his front window hoping to get some money.
The driver let him do the job but as soon as the green light pops up he revs up and leave.
The man shouts: "_Ma guarda questo morto di fame"

_How would you say this in English? Something more colorful than _stingy_, I mean. Thank you


----------



## MR1492

I might suggest:

cheap bastard
worthless pig/prick
scum sucking worthless piece of dog shit

And any of them can be modified to be even stronger with the proper application of some of George Carlin's Seven Words You Can't Say On Television!

Phil


----------



## rrose17

chipulukusu said:


> How would you say this in English? Something more colorful than _stingy_, I mean. Thank you


Joan's suggestion of "cheapskate" is exactly that.


----------



## joanvillafane

Edit: deleted, misread chip's post.

Forget what I said ( if any of you saw it before I deleted it!)  I now agree with ron and with myself.


----------



## CPA

In this part of the world, a "morto di fame" _can_ be literal (down-and-out) but usually it's a cheapskate.


----------



## chipulukusu

MR1492 said:


> I might suggest:
> 
> cheap bastard
> worthless pig/prick
> scum sucking worthless piece of dog shit
> 
> And any of them can be modified to be even stronger with the proper application of some of George Carlin's Seven Words You Can't Say On Television!
> 
> Phil



Thank you Phil, I could build up an extremely useful and handy booklet out of your post! And thanks to Ron and Joan I didn't know about _cheapskate._


----------



## RickyITA

Cheapskate is not correct.

"Morto di fame" is someone who doesn't have money, who cannot provide to his/her economic independance; said in a very very rude way.
It's like if someone really hate you and 
would like you to die because of your poverty/indigence. 
More or less the meaning is: "You are a fucking parasite who doesn't have money to live. You should die burning".
Now it's up to you to mention the correct adjective.


----------



## AlabamaBoy

What occurred to me was something like leech, sponge, barnacle, mooch, freeloader, or parasite. You could add an intensifying adjective if you like including damn (relatively mild) to  fucking (very offensive.) Note to non-natives: English expletives are much more offensive than portrayed in the movies. Most people do not use them all the time, except possibly in certain parts of large cities.


----------



## Paulfromitaly

I'm surprised that no one has suggested "bum" or "deadbeat" yet.

This is what "morto di fame" usually means 


> *morto di fame *[persona che si trova in condizioni di  forte indigenza] ≈ accattone, barbone, mendicante, miserabile, pezzente,  poveraccio, spiantato, straccione.


----------



## Odysseus54

For me a 'morto di fame' covers a pretty wide range of meanings, depending o the context :

Bum
Loser
Cheapskate
Mooch

Oops - Paul was faster.  And yes, 'deadbeat' also sounds good.


----------



## chipulukusu

This revived thread reinforce my belief that different Italians have different interpretations for the expression "morto di fame".
When I was at the beginning of my profession I was working for a professional who was taking profit out of my work at virtually no cost. His wife once told me: "You know what? We were driving out of a ferry in Sicily in our four by four when a  extracomunitario try to wipe our windshield for money. We said no and skidded away and the man shouted at us "morti di fame!". Can you believe that? HE was calling US morti di fame! Unbelievable!
Luckily enough I was young and in a condition of inferiority, so I just grinned a smile, but I would have liked to say:"Excuse me ma'am, I don't see where this should be funny. Of course you are racist scumbags and morti di fame..."
We evidently stood for two different meanings of the expression "morto di fame".
For the sake of honesty I must add that I learned 90% of what I know in that office, so I'm still grateful to them .


----------

