Ik heb honger
[ɪk ɦɛp ˈɦɔŋər]
To say "I am hungry" in Dutch, you say Ik heb honger.
The phrase is used to state that you feel a need or desire to eat food. If you want to express a specific craving for a particular type of food, you can use the construction Ik heb honger naar [food].
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means "I have hunger".
How does it change in a sentence?
To express a specific craving, use the construction Ik heb honger naar… followed by the food item.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say Ik ben hongerig, but Ik heb honger is the much more natural and common way to express the feeling of being hungry.
Did you know?
- While Ik heb honger describes physical hunger, Dutch speakers use the phrase Ik heb trek to describe a craving or a light appetite for a snack.
- If you use the adjective hongerig, you might sound like a poet or someone using very formal, old-fashioned language rather than a person talking about lunch.
- Dutch speakers may use the word vreet as a vulgar or aggressive version of hunger, as in een vreetbui, which describes a binge-eating episode.
Examples in context
- Ik heb honger.I am hungry.Tatoeba #439361 by koosscharroo, translation #409602 by CC
- Ik heb honger, ik heb al sinds vanmorgen niet meer gegeten.I am hungry, have not had food since the morning.This sentence explains that the hunger is due to not having eaten since the morning.Tatoeba #12346111 by megamanenm, translation #3937301 by User65345
- Ik heb honger omdat ik geen ontbijt heb gehad.I am hungry because I did not have breakfast.This sentence explains that the hunger is caused by skipping breakfast.Tatoeba #462331 by javyoze, translation #460070 by saasmath
- Tijdens de vergadering heb ik honger. Mag ik iets eten, alstublieft?During the meeting, I am hungry. May I have something to eat, please?
- Na de lezing heb ik trek. Is er misschien iets te eten hier?After the lecture, I am hungry. Is there something to eat here, perhaps?
- We hebben de hele dag gewandeld en nu heb ik honger als een paard. Laten we iets lekkers eten!We've been walking all day, and now I'm hungry as a horse. Let's eat something delicious!
- We hebben nog steeds geen avondeten gehad, en mijn maag knort. Zullen we ergens gaan eten?We still haven't had dinner, and my stomach is growling. Shall we go somewhere to eat?
- Na het sporten heb ik honger als een beer. Laten we snel iets eten!After exercising, I'm hungry as a bear. Let's grab something to eat quickly!
Example conversation
Daan and Emma are deciding what to do at lunchtime.
- DaanIk heb honger, Emma.I am hungry, Emma.
- EmmaZullen we een broodje halen?Shall we get a sandwich?
- DaanJa, dat is een goed idee.Yes, that is a good idea.
- EmmaIk heb ook honger.I am hungry too.
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry ik heb honger.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
