Quan tinc fam, només vull pa i sopa.

the bread

Breakdown of Quan tinc fam, només vull pa i sopa.

• voler: to want
• i: and
• quan: when

Questions & Answers about Quan tinc fam, només vull pa i sopa.

Why is it tinc fam instead of something that literally means I am hungry?

In Catalan, hunger is usually expressed with the verb tenir (to have), not to be. So:

• tinc fam = I am hungry / literally I have hunger

This is similar to Spanish tengo hambre and different from English.
Other common Catalan expressions work the same way:

• tenir set = to be thirsty
• tenir son = to be sleepy
• tenir fred = to be cold
• tenir calor = to be hot

So Quan tinc fam... is the normal, natural way to say When I’m hungry...

Why is there no subject pronoun for I?

Catalan often leaves out subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb ending. In tinc, the ending already tells you the subject is I.

So:

• Quan tinc fam... = When I’m hungry...
• Jo tinc fam... also exists, but jo is usually added only for emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

For example:

• Jo tinc fam, però ell no. = I’m hungry, but he isn’t.

In your sentence, leaving out jo is the most natural choice.