How to Say “I’m Hungry” in Hebrew

The most common way to say “I’m hungry” in Hebrew is:

אני רעב — I’m hungry, said by a man
אני רעבה — I’m hungry, said by a woman

These are the normal, everyday forms you’ll hear in Israel.

How it works

Hebrew changes the adjective to match the speaker:

• רעב = hungry, masculine form
• רעבה = hungry, feminine form

So you say:

• אני רעב
• אני רעבה

If you want to sound stronger or more dramatic, you can say:

• אני ממש רעב — I’m really hungry
• אני ממש רעבה — I’m really hungry
• אני גווע מרעב — I’m starving
• אני גוועת מרעב — I’m starving

אני גווע מרעב is much stronger than אני רעב. Use it when you really want to emphasize that you need food now.

Useful related phrases

A few other phrases that come up a lot:

• אני רוצה לאכול — I want to eat
• אני צריך לאכול — I need to eat
• בוא נאכל — Let’s eat
• מתי אוכלים? — When are we eating?
• יש אוכל? — Is there food?

If you also want phrases for ordering or choosing food, see Hebrew for Ordering Coffee in Israel and Hebrew for Vegan and Vegetarian Food in Israel.

In real conversation

Examples you might actually say:

• אני רעב. יש משהו לאכול? — I’m hungry. Is there something to eat?
• אני רעבה, בוא נלך לאכול. — I’m hungry, let’s go eat.
• אני ממש רעב עכשיו. — I’m really hungry right now.
• אני גוועת מרעב. — I’m starving.

You may also hear בתיאבון before or during a meal. It means “enjoy your meal” or “bon appétit.” It is not how you say you’re hungry, but it is a very common food phrase in Israel.

Pronunciation note

The word רעב can be tricky at first because of the ר sound and the way the word feels in the mouth. Don’t worry if it takes time. Even if your pronunciation is not perfect, people will usually understand you from the full phrase:

• אני רעב
• אני רעבה

Quick recap

• אני רעב = I’m hungry, male speaker
• אני רעבה = I’m hungry, female speaker
• אני ממש רעב/רעבה = I’m really hungry
• אני גווע/גוועת מרעב = I’m starving

This is one of the most practical Hebrew phrases for daily life in Israel, and it’s worth learning early.