How to Say 'I Am Hungry' and 'I Am Thirsty' in Japanese
Learn to express hunger and thirst in Japanese with onaka ga suita and nodo ga kawaita, ask others how they feel, and understand why these differ from ordering food or drinks.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
In Japanese, saying you are hungry or thirsty is not the same as ordering food or a drink. These sentences describe your internal physical state, and they use a distinctive pattern: a body part or sensation word, the particle ga, and a verb or adjective. This lesson teaches the two core expressions, how to ask others, and how to respond naturally. You will also learn why these phrases are not requests, and how politeness changes depending on who you are speaking to.
By the end, you can…
- say 'I am hungry' and 'I am thirsty' in natural Japanese.
- ask another person whether they are hungry or thirsty.
- distinguish these state descriptions from ordering food or drinks.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
お腹が空いた。
I am hungry.
onaka ga suita
Casual, direct statement about your own hunger. Literally 'my stomach became empty.' Common among friends and family.
喉が渇いた。
I am thirsty.
nodo ga kawaita
Casual statement about your own thirst. Literally 'my throat dried.' Used in everyday conversation.
お腹が空きました。
I am hungry. (polite)
onaka ga sukimashita
Polite form for strangers, coworkers, or people older than you. The -mashita ending raises the register.
喉が渇きました。
I am thirsty. (polite)
nodo ga kawakimashita
Polite version of the thirst expression. Safe in restaurants, offices, and formal settings.
お腹空いてる？
Are you hungry?
onaka suiteru?
Casual question to a friend or family member. The particle ga is often dropped in casual speech.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is [body part] + が + [state verb]. For hunger, use お腹 (onaka, stomach) with 空いた (suita, became empty). For thirst, use 喉 (nodo, throat) with 渇いた (kawaita, dried). The particle が (ga) marks what is in that state. In casual speech, が is often dropped: お腹空いた (onaka suita). In polite speech, use the -ました (-mashita) past form: お腹が空きました (onaka ga sukimashita).
When to use it
Use these phrases to describe how you feel, not to order. If you say お腹が空いた to a waiter, you are telling them you are hungry, not asking for a menu. To order, you would say something like ラーメンをください (rāmen o kudasai, 'ramen, please'). Use the casual forms with close friends and the polite forms with acquaintances, staff, or superiors. To ask someone else, use お腹空いてる？ (onaka suiteru?) or the polite お腹空いていますか (onaka suite imasu ka).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
お腹空いた。
I'm hungry.onaka suita私も。喉も渇いた。
Me too. I'm thirsty too.watashi mo. nodo mo kawaita何か食べに行く？
Want to go get something to eat?nanika tabe ni iku?うん、行こう。
Yeah, let's go.un, ikōA little context goes a long way
Japanese often omits the subject when it is clear from context, so お腹が空いた (onaka ga suita) can mean 'I am hungry' without saying 私は (watashi wa). Adding 私は can sound emphatic or contrastive, as if you are singling yourself out. In polite company, prefer お腹が空きました (onaka ga sukimashita) over the casual form.
One thing to watch for
Using お腹が空いた (onaka ga suita) as a way to order food, such as saying it directly to a waiter instead of asking for a menu.
Try this instead: These phrases describe your internal state, not a request. To order, use a request form such as ラーメンをください (rāmen o kudasai, 'ramen, please') or メニューをお願いします (menyū o onegaishimasu, 'menu, please').
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'I am thirsty' politely to a coworker?
Show a sample answer
喉が渇きました。 (nodo ga kawakimashita)
The polite -mashita form is appropriate for a coworker. The casual 喉が渇いた (nodo ga kawaita) would be too informal in most workplace situations.
2What particle marks the body part in お腹が空いた?
Show a sample answer
が (ga)
The particle が marks お腹 (onaka) as the thing that became empty. In casual speech it is often dropped, giving お腹空いた (onaka suita).
3Translate into Japanese: 'Are you hungry?' (casual, to a friend)
Show a sample answer
お腹空いてる？ (onaka suiteru?)
This casual question drops the particle が and uses the -te iru form. A polite alternative is お腹空いていますか (onaka suite imasu ka).
Use お腹が空いた (onaka ga suita) for hunger and 喉が渇いた (nodo ga kawaita) for thirst to describe how you feel; switch to the -mashita forms for politeness, and remember these are not orders.
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