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be and have

Physical conditions: hunger, thirst, etc​

To talk about experiencing hunger, thirst, heat, cold and certain other common physical conditions, we normally use be (or feel) + adjective, not have + noun. Note the following expressions:

  • be hungry (not have hunger), be thirsty, be warm, be hot, be cold, be sleepy, be afraid

Note also:

  • be right, be wrong, be lucky

Age, height, weight, size and colour​

Be is also used to talk about age, height, length, weight, size, shape and colour.

  • I’m nearly thirty. (not I have nearly thirty.)
  • She is nearly my age.
  • I wish I was ten kilos lighter.
  • The room is ten metres long.
  • He is six feet tall.
  • What size are your shoes?
  • What colour are his eyes?
  • She is the same height as her father.

Be heavy is not usually used in measuring expressions.

  • It weighs 37 kilos. (not It’s 37 kilos heavy.)
note

For have in expressions like have a bath, have a drink, have a walk, see here.