German Phrase
Hast du Hunger?
Meaning
Literally ‘Do you have hunger?’, this is the everyday way to ask someone if they are hungry. It is informal, friendly and can be used before meals, during a break, or whenever you want to offer food.
When to use
Use it with friends, family, classmates, or anyone you address with ‘du’. In a formal setting (e.g., with a stranger, a teacher, or a client) switch to ‘Haben Sie Hunger?’ or use the adjective form ‘Sind Sie hungrig?’
✦Grammar Breakdown
HastduHunger?
Hast (haben, 2nd person singular)
‘Hast’ is the present‑tense form of the verb ‘haben’ (to have) used with the pronoun ‘du’. It follows the regular weak‑verb pattern: ich habe, du hast, er/sie/es hat.
du (personal pronoun)
‘du’ is the informal singular ‘you’. In German questions the verb precedes the pronoun (verb‑subject inversion).
Hunger (noun, masculine)
‘Hunger’ is a masculine noun meaning ‘hunger’. When talking about feeling hungry, German uses the construction ‘Hunger haben’ rather than an adjective.
Question mark placement
In German the question mark is placed after the entire sentence, not after each word.
🗨In Conversation
Hast du Hunger?
Are you hungry?
Ja, ich habe ein bisschen Hunger. Wollen wir etwas essen?
Yes, I’m a little hungry. Shall we get something to eat?
✕Common Mistakes
Hast du der Hunger?
‘Hunger’ is used without an article in the ‘Hunger haben’ construction.
Hast du hungrig?
‘Hungrig’ is an adjective and needs the verb ‘sein’ (bist du hungrig?), not ‘haben’. Mixing the two creates an ungrammatical sentence.
Du hast Hunger?
While understandable, the standard question order is verb‑subject inversion: ‘Hast du Hunger?’
↔Alternatives
Bist du hungrig?
Are you hungry?
Möchtest du etwas essen?
Would you like something to eat?
Haben Sie Hunger?
Are you hungry? (formal)
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries it’s common to ask about hunger before offering food, especially in informal gatherings. The verb ‘haben’ with ‘Hunger’ sounds more natural than the English ‘to be hungry’. Remember to match the level of formality: use ‘du’ with people you know well, and ‘Sie’ in professional or polite contexts. In some regions (e.g., southern Germany and Austria) you’ll also hear the adjective form ‘hungrig’ used more frequently.