German · Food & Drink

"I'm hungry" in German: ich habe Hunger

ich habe Hunger

Say it: ikh HAH-buh HOONG-erphrase/ɪç ˈhaːbə ˈhʊŋɐ/

I'm hungry in German is ich habe Hunger. Stronger is Ich habe großen Hunger. Mir ist hungrig exists, but habe Hunger is the everyday line.

After class

Ich habe Hungersollen wir Pizza holen?
I'm hungry — should we get pizza?
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How to pronounce ich habe Hunger

Say it

ikh HAH-buh HOONG-er

/ɪç ˈhaːbə ˈhʊŋɐ/

ikh HAH-buh HOONG-er. Soft ich; Hunger with short u and ng as in "sung".

"I'm hungry" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
ich habe HungerI'm hungry

Default.

Ich habe großen HungerI'm very hungry

Stronger.

Ich sterbe vor HungerI'm starving

Dramatic joke.

Hast du Hunger?Are you hungry?

Question.

How to use ich habe Hunger in real life

  1. 1After class

    Ich habe Hungersollen wir Pizza holen?

    I'm hungry — should we get pizza?

    Full phrase.

  2. 2Hiking break

    Kurz Pause. Ich habe Hunger und Durst.

    Quick break. I'm hungry and thirsty.

    Hunger + Durst.

  3. 3Late meeting

    Ehrlich, ich habe Hunger seit zwei Stunden.

    Honestly, I've been hungry for two hours.

    Seit + time.

Mistakes English speakers make with ich habe Hunger

Incorrect: Ich bin Hunger.

Correct: Ich habe Hunger.

Germans have hunger (haben), they are not Hunger.

Incorrect: Ich habe hungry.

Correct: Ich habe Hunger.

Use the noun Hunger.

Good to know

Meals can run later than in some countries, so ich habe Hunger at 3 p.m. is normal. A snack (Zwischenmahlzeit) is a socially fine fix.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Choosing lunch after a museum

  1. ChatPal

    Wie spät essen wir?

    How late are we eating?

  2. You

    Bald. Ich habe Hunger jetzt schon.

    Soon. I'm already hungry now.

  3. ChatPal

    Gut, ich habe Hunger auch. Döner?

    Good, I'm hungry too. Döner?

  4. You

    Ja, bitte. Etwas Warmes.

    Yes, please. Something warm.

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"I'm hungry" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "I'm hungry" in German

How do you say I'm hungry?

Ich habe Hunger.

How do you ask are you hungry?

Hast du Hunger?

Stronger version?

Ich habe großen Hunger.

Why not ich bin hungrig?

People say it, but ich habe Hunger is the core everyday line.

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  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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