Ich habe Hunger
/ɪç ˈhaːbə ˈhʊŋɐ/word by word
In German, the way to say "I am hungry" is Ich habe Hunger.
This phrase is used to express a physical need or a desire for food.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to "I have hunger".
Which one should you use?
While Ich habe Hunger expresses a general state of being hungry, you can use Ich habe großen Hunger to emphasize that you are extremely hungry.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Ich habe Hunger, the word Hunger is a noun and must be capitalized.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɪç ˈhaːbə ˈhʊŋɐ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say Ich bin hungrig by translating directly from English. While Ich bin hungrig is grammatically correct, Ich habe Hunger is the more natural, idiomatic expression.
Did you know?
- If you want to say you are 'starving', Germans often use the phrase Ich habe Bärenhunger. This literally translates to 'I have bear-hunger', suggesting a hunger as large as a bear's.
- The word Hunger is a member of a group of German nouns for bodily needs that use haben (to have) instead of sein (to be), such as Durst for thirst.
- The word Hunger comes from the Proto-Germanic root *hungruz, which is a very ancient term that has remained remarkably stable in meaning across Germanic languages for thousands of years.
Examples in context
- Ich habe Hunger, weil ich nicht gefrühstückt hatte.I am hungry because I did not eat breakfast.This sentence shows how to explain why you are hungry using Ich habe Hunger.Tatoeba #1471536 by Esperantostern, translation #410664 by blay_paul
- Ich habe Hunger.I am hungry.This is a simple statement of being hungry using Ich habe Hunger.Tatoeba #2095976 by freddy1, translation #409602 by CC
- Sag ihr, ich habe Hunger.Tell her that I am hungry.This sentence is used to relay the information that you are hungry using Ich habe Hunger.Tatoeba #1931754 by Beatminister, translation #1741638 by Amastan
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are walking home after a long hike.
- FelixIch habe Hunger.I am hungry.
- JuliaIch auch, lass uns etwas essen.Me too, let's eat something.
- FelixKennst du ein gutes Restaurant in der Nähe?Do you know a good restaurant nearby?
- JuliaJa, es gibt einen Italiener um die Ecke.Yes, there is an Italian place around the corner.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Ich, Habe, Hunger) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hunger, Ich, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
