How to Say 'I Am Hungry' and 'I Am Thirsty' in Mandarin Chinese
Learn to express hunger and thirst in Mandarin, ask others about their states, and distinguish these from ordering food or drinks.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
In Mandarin Chinese, expressing that you are hungry or thirsty is straightforward: you use the verb 饿 (è) for hungry and 渴 (kě) for thirsty, often with the particle 了 (le) to indicate a current state. This lesson teaches you to say 'I am hungry' and 'I am thirsty', ask others if they are hungry or thirsty, and respond appropriately. Unlike ordering, which involves specific requests like 'I want fried rice', these expressions focus on your internal feelings. You'll learn the core phrases, a simple pattern to talk about yourself and others, and how to use them naturally in conversation. No prior grammar is needed beyond basic pronouns.
By the end, you can…
- say 'I am hungry' and 'I am thirsty' in Mandarin.
- ask someone if they are hungry or thirsty.
- respond to questions about hunger and thirst.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
我饿了。
I am hungry.
wǒ è le
Use when you feel hungry right now. The 了 indicates a change of state.
我渴了。
I am thirsty.
wǒ kě le
Use when you feel thirsty right now. The 了 indicates a change of state.
你饿吗？
Are you hungry?
nǐ è ma
Ask a friend or someone of similar status. 吗 makes it a yes/no question.
你渴吗？
Are you thirsty?
nǐ kě ma
Ask if someone is thirsty. Use 您 (nín) for formal 'you'.
我不饿。
I am not hungry.
wǒ bù è
Negate with 不 before the verb. No 了 needed in negative statements.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say you are hungry or thirsty, use the pattern: Subject + 饿/渴 + 了. For example, 我饿了 (I am hungry), 他渴了 (He is thirsty). The 了 here shows a new state. To ask a yes/no question, add 吗 at the end: 你饿吗？(Are you hungry?). To answer negatively, use 不 before the verb and drop 了: 我不饿 (I am not hungry). You can also use 很 (hěn) to soften: 我很饿 (I am very hungry).
When to use it
Use these expressions to talk about your own feelings or ask about others' feelings. They are not orders. For example, if you are at a restaurant and want to say you're hungry before deciding what to order, say 我饿了. If you want to ask a friend if they are hungry, say 你饿吗？. Do not use these to request specific food; that would require different phrases like 我想吃... (I want to eat...). These are about internal states, so they are perfect for starting a conversation about eating or drinking.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
我饿了。
I am hungry.wǒ è le你渴吗？
Are you thirsty?nǐ kě ma我不渴，但是我饿了。
I am not thirsty, but I am hungry.wǒ bù kě, dànshì wǒ è le我也饿了。
I am hungry too.wǒ yě è leA little context goes a long way
In Chinese culture, expressing hunger or thirst is common among friends and family. However, with strangers or in formal settings, it may be more polite to say 我有点饿 (I am a little hungry) to sound less direct. When asking others, use 您 (nín) for respect. Also, Chinese people often offer food or drink when someone says they are hungry or thirsty, so be prepared to accept or decline politely.
One thing to watch for
Adding 了 in negative sentences, like 我不饿了.
Try this instead: In negative statements, do not use 了. Say 我不饿 (I am not hungry). The 了 is only for affirmative statements about a current state.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I am thirsty' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
我渴了。
This uses the subject 我, the verb 渴, and the particle 了 to indicate a current state. Alternatively, you could say 我很渴 (I am very thirsty) for emphasis.
2Ask a friend 'Are you hungry?' in Mandarin.
Show a sample answer
你饿吗？
This is a simple yes/no question formed by adding 吗 to the statement 你饿. For formal situations, use 您饿吗？
3Respond negatively to 'Are you thirsty?'
Show a sample answer
我不渴。
Negate with 不 before the verb and omit 了. You could also say 我不渴，谢谢 (I am not thirsty, thank you) to be polite.
Use 我饿了 and 我渴了 to express hunger and thirst. Ask others with 你饿吗？ and 你渴吗？. Remember: no 了 in negative answers.
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