How to Say "Starving" in Spanish

muerto de hambre

/mweɾto de ambɾe/from spelling rules

The English phrase 'starving' is translated into Spanish as muerto de hambre.

muerto de hambre is an informal way to say that you are very hungry. While it is often used hyperbolically, such as in the phrase Estoy muerto de hambre (I'm dead from hunger) to convey extreme hunger, it can also be used as an insult to describe someone as 'low-class' or 'beggar-like'.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase muerto de hambre literally translates to 'dead of hunger'.

Which one should you use?

If you want a standard, non-hyperbolic way to say you are very hungry, use tener mucha hambre. In contrast, muerto de hambre is more hyperbolic and informal.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Spain, the phrase Tengo un hambre canina is a playful way to express extreme hunger. In Latin America, the phrase Estoy muriéndome de hambre means 'I'm dying from hunger'.

How does it change in a sentence?

If the person being described is female, the adjective 'muerto' changes to the feminine form muerta de hambre.

How do you pronounce it?

/mweɾto de ambɾe/

When do people say it?

For example, Me muero de hambre (I'm dying of hunger) is an exaggerated expression commonly used among friends or family. Other common ways to describe hunger include Tengo un hambre voraz or the informal Tengo un hambre que no veas (I have a hunger that you can't even imagine).

Did you know?

The word hambre is feminine in gender, yet it is almost always preceded by the masculine singular article el in the phrase el hambre to avoid a clashing 'a' sound.
The word muerto shares an ancient Proto-Indo-European root with the Hindi word मृत (mŕt) and the Russian word мёртвый (mjórtvyj).

Examples in context

Debes de estar muerto de hambre.
You must be starving.
This sentence demonstrates the use of muerto de hambre to express that someone must be starving.
Tatoeba #2216777 by Shishir, translation #2134203 by Hybrid

Example conversation

Javier and Elena are deciding what to eat for lunch.

Javier

Elena, ¿quieres ir a comer algo?
Elena, do you want to go eat something?
Elena

Sí, por favor, estoy muerta de hambre.
Yes, please, I am starving.
Javier

Yo también, estoy muerto de hambre.
Me too, I am starving.
Elena

Vamos al restaurante de la esquina.
Let's go to the restaurant on the corner.

Sources

IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, hambre, muerto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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How to Say “Starving” in Spanish