tienes hambre
/tjenes ambɾe/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you're hungry" is translated into Spanish as tienes hambre.
This phrase is used to state that someone feels a need or desire to eat food.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, tienes hambre translates to "you have hunger".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, one might say tenés hambre.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form tienes hambre uses the informal tú conjugation of the verb tener. To say "you're hungry" in a formal context, use the usted form: tiene hambre.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb ser (to be) instead of tener (to have) to express hunger. Do not say eres hambriento, as this means "you are a hungry person".
Did you know?
- The word hambre is a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'fame', although their meanings completely diverged over centuries.
- In Spanish, the word hambre is feminine, but it is almost always used with the masculine article el as el hambre to avoid a clashing sound.
- While tienes hambre is the standard phrase, some Spanish speakers use the expression tener un hambre de lobo to say they are 'hungry as a wolf'.
Examples in context
- Supongo que tienes hambre.I suppose you're hungry.This sentence is useful for expressing a supposition about someone's hunger using tienes hambre.Tatoeba #2247325 by marcelostockle, translation #16196 by CK
- Si tienes hambre, come algo.If you're hungry, have something to eat.This sentence provides a conditional suggestion to eat if someone has tienes hambre.Tatoeba #1723563 by teskmon, translation #1477316 by CM
- Si tienes hambre, pues come.If you're hungry, then eat.This sentence uses tienes hambre to suggest eating if the condition of hunger is met.Tatoeba #4680057 by cueyayotl, translation #441340 by CM
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are sitting on the sofa in the living room.
- ElenaParece que tienes hambre, Alejandro.It seems like you're hungry, Alejandro.
- AlejandroSí, tengo muchísima hambre.Yes, I am very hungry.
- Elena¿Quieres que prepare algo de comer?Do you want me to prepare something to eat?
- AlejandroSí, por favor, Elena.Yes, please, Elena.
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.
