Ich bin müde or ich habe müde? Understanding German expressions for feelings
- Sarah
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
One of the most common mistakes beginners make when learning German is mixing up the verbs haben (to have) and sein (to be).
A typical example is the sentence:
Ich habe müde.This is incorrect in German – but it’s a direct translation from other languages.
In this article, GermanMind explains how to use "sein" with adjectives like tired, cold or ready ➡️ and when not to use “haben”.
Correct: Ich bin müde
In German, we use the verb sein when describing conditions, physical states or feelings that are expressed with adjectives.
Examples:
Ich bin müde. = I am tired
Ich bin hungrig. = I am hungry
Ich bin durstig. = I am thirsty
Ich bin kalt / warm. = I am cold / warm
Ich bin bereit. = I am ready
These are all adjectives – and in German grammar, adjectives follow sein.
Why not “Ich habe müde”?
In languages like Spanish, French or Italian, it’s common to say “I have tired”, “I have cold”, etc. That’s why many learners say “Ich habe müde” when speaking German.
But in German, that sounds unnatural and is grammatically wrong.
So always remember:
❌ Ich habe müde → incorrect
✅ Ich bin müde → correct
When do we use "haben" for states?
There are some German expressions where haben is used ➡️ but only when followed by nouns, not adjectives.
For example:
Ich habe Hunger. = I have hunger
Ich habe Angst. = I have fear
Ich habe Durst. = I’m thirsty
Ich habe Stress. = I’m stressed
💡 Tip: If it’s a noun, you may need haben. If it’s an adjective like müde, hungrig or kalt – use sein.
Summary: haben or sein in German?
Use sein with adjectives:tired, hungry, thirsty, cold, warm, ready → Ich bin ...
Use haben with nouns:hunger, fear, thirst, stress → Ich habe ...
Why does this matter?
Using sein instead of haben is a small change but it makes your German sound much more natural and correct. It’s one of the easiest mistakes to fix, and one of the most common at A1 and A2 level.
Conjugation – haben (to have)
ich habe
du hast
er / sie / es hat
wir haben
ihr habt
sie / Sie haben
Conjugation – sein (to be)
ich bin
du bist
er / sie / es ist
wir sind
ihr seid
sie / Sie sind
Quick Tip:
Use sein (to be) for conditions or states:
Ich bin müde, ich bin krank, ich bin da.
Use haben (to have) for possessions or needs:
Ich habe ein Buch, ich habe Hunger, ich habe Zeit.
Learn more with GermanMind
At GermanMind, we help you avoid typical mistakes and understand the logic behind German grammar – with clear explanations in English, small group classes, and native-speaking teachers.
Explore our grammar platform:👉 www.germanmind-method.ie
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