Ich habe Durst
/ɪç ˈhaːbə dʊʁst/word by word
In German, "I am thirsty" is expressed as Ich habe Durst.
This phrase is used to express a need to drink water or another liquid.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "I have thirst".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Ich habe Durst, the word Durst is a noun and is therefore capitalized.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɪç ˈhaːbə dʊʁst/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often say Ich bin durstig because it follows the English sentence structure. While this is grammatically correct, Ich habe Durst is the much more common and natural way to express the feeling in German.
Did you know?
- The German word Durst can be used metaphorically to describe a strong desire for something other than liquid, such as Durst nach Wissen, meaning 'thirst for knowledge'.
- German uses the same 'having' structure for other physical needs, such as Ich habe Hunger for 'I am hungry'.
- The German word Durst shares the same ancient root as the English word 'thirst', both stemming from a Proto-Indo-European word meaning 'dry'.
Examples in context
- Ich brauche Wasser, denn ich habe Durst.I need water because I am thirsty.This sentence shows how to explain why you need water using Ich habe Durst.Tatoeba #13554822 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13554824 by Ioan_Cristian
- Ich habe Durst. Ich hätte gerne eine Tasse Kaffee.I am thirsty. I would like to have a cup of coffee.This sentence demonstrates using Ich habe Durst before ordering a coffee.Tatoeba #361107 by Kerstin, translation #35764 by CK
- Ich habe Durst.I am thirsty.This sentence is a simple statement of the feeling using Ich habe Durst.Tatoeba #461402 by MUIRIEL, translation #1545871 by gleki
Example conversation
Maximilian and Hannah are hiking in the mountains.
- MaximilianIch habe Durst, Hannah.I am thirsty, Hannah.
- HannahIch habe auch Durst.I am thirsty too.
- MaximilianHast du noch etwas Wasser?Do you have any water left?
- HannahJa, hier bitte.Yes, here you go.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Ich, Habe, Durst) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Durst, Ich, ich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
