der Hunger
hunger
The physical feeling you have when you need to eat.
EXAMPLE
Nach der langen Wanderung hatte ich einen riesigen Hunger.
After the long hike, I was extremely hungry.
der Hunger
hunger
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Meanings
der Hunger
hunger
A strong desire or great craving for something immaterial, such as knowledge, success, or love.
EXAMPLE
Sein Hunger nach Abenteuern trieb ihn in die entlegensten Winkel der Welt.
His hunger for adventure drove him to the most remote corners of the world.
der Hunger
hunger / famine
A situation in which many people in a region do not have enough to eat over a long period of time; a famine.
EXAMPLE
Die Dürrekatastrophe führte in vielen Teilen des Landes zu Hunger.
The drought disaster led to hunger in many parts of the country.
Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'der Hunger' (hunger) belongs to a word family with the adjective 'hungrig' (hungry, describing the feeling) and the verb 'hungern' (to go hungry / to suffer from hunger).
EXAMPLE
Nach einem langen Tag war er sehr hungrig.
After a long day, he was very hungry.
Typical collocation
To express the physical feeling, German uses the fixed phrase 'Hunger haben' (to be hungry, literally: to have hunger). A person 'has' hunger in German; they are not hunger.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe seit dem Frühstück nichts gegessen und habe jetzt großen Hunger.
I haven't eaten anything since breakfast, and now I'm very hungry.
Preposition 'nach'
When 'Hunger' (hunger) describes a strong desire, it is almost always used with the preposition 'nach' and a noun in the dative. This pattern shows what the desire is directed toward.
EXAMPLE
Er hat einen unstillbaren Hunger nach neuem Wissen.
He has an insatiable hunger for new knowledge.
Context clue
In the meaning 'Hungersnot' (famine), 'Hunger' is often used without an article or in connection with geographic regions or crises. It then describes a social problem, not a personal feeling.
EXAMPLE
Viele Organisationen kämpfen gegen den Hunger in der Welt.
Many organizations are fighting hunger in the world.
Compare with
Hunger vs Sehnsucht
longing
Both Hunger and Sehnsucht can express a strong desire for love. Hunger emphasizes the pressing wish to get something, while Sehnsucht usually highlights painful missing or distance from a person. Choose Hunger for the desire to have something fulfilled, and Sehnsucht for missing someone or something.
Hunger
Nach vielen Enttäuschungen spürte sie noch immer einen großen Hunger nach Liebe.
After many disappointments, she still felt a great hunger for love.
Sehnsucht
Nach der Trennung spürte sie eine tiefe Sehnsucht nach ihrer früheren Liebe.
After the breakup, she felt a deep longing for her former love.
In real life
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