Spanish - April 25, 2023

How To Say "I'm Hungry" In Spanish

¡Hola! Are you feeling hungry and wondering how to say "I'm hungry" in Spanish? You have come to the right place. In this article, we will cover the various ways to express hunger in Spanish, regional differences, and provide sample sentences to help you master this essential phrase.

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What is "I'm Hungry" in Spanish?

"I'm hungry" translates to "Tengo hambre" in Spanish. The phrase is pronounced as /ˈtɛŋɡo̞ ˈam̪bɾe̞/ in IPA phonetics. The word tengo means "I have" while hambre translates to "hunger", making the phrase literally mean "I have hunger".

Meaning of "I'm Hungry" in Spanish

The phrase "tengo hambre" is used to express hunger and is a common phrase in Spanish. When someone says "tengo hambre", they are indicating that they need to eat because they feel hungry. Other ways to express hunger in Spanish include:

Estoy hambriento/a: This translates to "I am hungry" and is a more formal way to express hunger.
Tengo apetito: This means "I have an appetite" and is a less common way to express hunger in Spanish.
Tengo ganas de comer: This translates to "I feel like eating" and is used to express a desire or craving for food.

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Translating "I'm Hungry" to Spanish

To express hunger in Spanish, you can use any of the following phrases:

Tengo hambre (IPA: /ˈtɛŋɡo̞ ˈam̪bɾe̞/)
Estoy hambriento/a (IPA: /esˈtoj am̪ˈbɾjen̪.to̞/a̠/)
Tengo apetito (IPA: /ˈtɛŋɡo̞ ape̞ˈtito̞)
Tengo ganas de comer (IPA: /ˈtɛŋɡo̞ ˈɣanas ðe ko̞ˈme̞ɾ/)

Regional Differences

As with any language, Spanish can vary depending on the region. In some countries, you may hear variations of the phrase "tengo hambre" or other expressions used to express hunger. Here are some regional differences:

In Mexico, you may hear the phrase "tengo hambre de lobo", which translates to "I'm hungry like a wolf". This expression is used to convey extreme hunger.
In Spain, people may say "tengo hambre como un lobo", which means "I'm hungry like a wolf" as well.
In some Latin American countries, you may hear the phrase "me muero de hambre", which means "I'm dying of hunger".

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