mucha hambre
/mut͡ʃa ambɾe/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase for very hungry is mucha hambre.
The phrase mucha hambre is used to describe a strong feeling of needing food.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'much hunger'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the expression Tengo un hambre canina is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that you are hungry in Spanish, you use the verb tener (to have) rather than the verbs for 'to be'.
How do you pronounce it?
/mutʃa ambɾe/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying estoy muy hambriento. While this is a literal translation of 'I am very hungry', it is not the natural way to express this in Spanish. Instead, use tengo mucha hambre.
Did you know?
- While hambre is a feminine noun, it uses the masculine article el in the singular form el hambre to avoid a clashing sound.
- The word hambre shares an unexpected ancestry with the English word 'famine'. Both stems trace back to the Latin 'fames', which described a profound starvation.
- In Spanish, the word hambre can be used to describe an ambition or a 'hunger' for success or power, not just a need for food.
Examples in context
- No tenía mucha hambre.I was not feeling very hungry.This sentence shows how to express a negative state regarding hunger with mucha hambre.Tatoeba #631469 by Shishir, translation #631288 by ulyssemc1
- Hoy tengo mucha hambre.I'm very hungry today.This sentence demonstrates how to use mucha hambre to express current hunger.Tatoeba #1688368 by Alba, translation #1687687 by CK
- Tom tiene mucha hambre.Tom is very hungry.This sentence shows how to use mucha hambre when talking about someone else.Tatoeba #2252104 by Shishir, translation #1024768 by CK
- Durante la reunión, tenía un hambre voraz y apenas podía concentrarme.During the meeting, I was extremely hungry and could barely concentrate.
- ¡Estoy muerto de hambre! ¿Vamos a comer algo?I'm starving! Shall we grab a bite to eat?
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- Sofía¿Quieres ir a almorzar ahora?Do you want to go eat lunch now?
- MateoSí, tengo mucha hambre.Yes, I am very hungry.
- SofíaYo también, me muero de hambre.Me too, I'm starving.
- MateoVamos 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 hambre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
