How To Say I'm Tired In French

Sometimes, after a long day, we feel tired and want to express it in different languages. If you’re learning French, it’s helpful to know how to say “I’m tired.” In French, there are several ways to say you’re feeling tired, depending on the situation or how tired you are. Learning these phrases will help you communicate better when you’re feeling exhausted or worn out.

In this article, we’ll explore how to say “I’m tired” in French, other ways to express fatigue, and how to respond when someone tells you they are tired. You’ll also get an exercise to practice these phrases. Whether you’re traveling to a French-speaking country or just chatting with a French-speaking friend, you’ll find this guide useful!

How to say “I’m tired” in French

In French, there are different ways to say “I’m tired,” depending on how you feel and the context. Some expressions are more casual, while others are used in specific situations. Below are several common ways to say “I’m tired” in French, along with their meanings and examples to help you understand how they can be used in everyday conversations.

Je suis fatigué(e)

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee fah-tee-gay]
Meaning: This is the most common and straightforward way to say “I’m tired.” It can be used in any situation when you’re feeling tired.
In a Sentence:

“Après une longue journée de travail, je suis fatigué.” (After a long day at work, I’m tired.)
“Je suis fatiguée, je vais me coucher tôt.” (I’m tired, I will go to bed early.)

Je suis épuisé(e)

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee eh-pwee-zay]
Meaning: This means “I’m exhausted” or “I’m drained.” It’s a stronger way of saying you’re very tired.
In a Sentence:

“Après le marathon, je suis épuisé.” (After the marathon, I’m exhausted.)
“Elle est épuisée, elle a besoin de se reposer.” (She’s drained, she needs to rest.)

J’ai sommeil

Pronunciation: [zhay soh-may]
Meaning: This means “I’m sleepy” and refers to the feeling of needing sleep.
In a Sentence:

“Il est déjà tard, j’ai sommeil.” (It’s already late, I’m sleepy.)
“Tu veux dormir maintenant ? Tu as sommeil.” (Do you want to sleep now? You’re sleepy.)

Je suis crevé(e)

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee kruh-vay]
Meaning: This is a very casual and informal way to say you’re “dead tired” or “worn out.” It’s often used in a relaxed conversation with friends or family.
In a Sentence:

“Je viens de courir pendant une heure, je suis crevé !” (I just ran for an hour, I’m wiped out!)
“Après une longue journée, je suis complètement crevé.” (After a long day, I’m totally worn out.)

Je suis fatigué(e) à mourir

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee fah-tee-gay ah moo-reer]
Meaning: This means “I’m tired to death,” and it’s used to exaggerate how tired you feel. It’s a very dramatic way to say you’re extremely tired.
In a Sentence:

“Après cette semaine de travail, je suis fatiguée à mourir.” (After this workweek, I’m exhausted to death.)
“Je suis fatigué à mourir, je vais dormir tout de suite.” (I’m tired to death, I’m going to sleep right away.)

Je suis vidé(e)

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee vee-day]
Meaning: This phrase means “I’m drained” or “I’m completely spent.” It’s used when you feel like you have no energy left.
In a Sentence:

“Après avoir couru toute la journée, je suis vidé.” (After running all day, I’m drained.)
“Elle est vidé, elle a besoin de repos.” (She’s drained, she needs rest.)

Je suis au bout de ma vie

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee oh boo duh mah vee]
Meaning: Literally, this phrase translates to “I’m at the end of my life,” but it’s a very informal, exaggerated way to say you are extremely tired or worn out.
In a Sentence:

“Je suis au bout de ma vie, je n’en peux plus.” (I’m at the end of my life, I can’t take it anymore.)
“Après toute cette semaine de travail, je suis vraiment au bout de ma vie.” (After this whole workweek, I’m really at my limit.)

Je suis KO

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee kay-oh]
Meaning: This is a very casual and informal way to say “I’m knocked out,” meaning you’re really tired, similar to saying “I’m wiped out” in English.
In a Sentence:

“Après cette longue réunion, je suis KO.” (After this long meeting, I’m knocked out.)
“Il a travaillé toute la journée, il est KO.” (He worked all day, he’s wiped out.)

Je suis épuisé(e) de fatigue

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee eh-pwee-zay duh fah-teeg]
Meaning: This is a stronger expression of being exhausted, emphasizing how much fatigue you feel.
In a Sentence:

“Après tout ce travail, je suis épuisé de fatigue.” (After all this work, I’m exhausted with fatigue.)
“Il est épuisé de fatigue, il a besoin d’une pause.” (He’s exhausted from fatigue, he needs a break.)

Je suis sur les genoux

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee soor lay zhuh-noo]
Meaning: This phrase means “I’m on my knees,” indicating extreme tiredness.
In a Sentence:

“Après cette longue marche, je suis sur les genoux.” (After this long walk, I’m on my knees.)
“Elle travaille sans arrêt, elle est sur les genoux.” (She works nonstop, she’s on her knees.)

Je suis à bout de force

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee ah boo duh fors]
Meaning: This means “I’m at the end of my strength” and describes being completely worn out.
In a Sentence:

“Après cette journée, je suis à bout de force.” (After this day, I’m at the end of my strength.)
“Il est à bout de force après avoir couru toute la journée.” (He’s out of strength after running all day.)

Je suis éreinté(e)

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee ay-rahn-tay]
Meaning: This word means “I’m worn out” or “I’m exhausted.”
In a Sentence:

“Je suis éreintée après ce long voyage.” (I’m worn out after this long trip.)
“Il est éreinté, il doit se reposer.” (He’s exhausted, he needs to rest.)

Je suis lessivé(e)

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee leh-see-vay]
Meaning: This is a casual way to say you’re “drained” or “washed out,” meaning you have no energy left.
In a Sentence:

“Je suis lessivée, je vais dormir.” (I’m drained, I’m going to sleep.)
“Après avoir travaillé toute la journée, je suis lessivé.” (After working all day, I’m washed out.)

Je suis fatigué(e) comme un cheval

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee fah-tee-gay kohm uhn shuh-val]
Meaning: This literally translates to “I’m as tired as a horse,” meaning you’re extremely tired.
In a Sentence:

“Je suis fatiguée comme un cheval après avoir couru.” (I’m as tired as a horse after running.)
“Il est fatigué comme un cheval après sa longue journée de travail.” (He’s as tired as a horse after his long workday.)

Je suis complètement épuisé(e)

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee kohm-pleh-teh-mahn eh-pwee-zay]
Meaning: This means “I’m completely exhausted.”
In a Sentence:

“Je suis complètement épuisé, je vais dormir tôt ce soir.” (I’m completely exhausted, I’m going to sleep early tonight.)
“Après ce voyage, elle est complètement épuisée.” (After this trip, she’s completely exhausted.)

Je n’en peux plus

Pronunciation: [zhuh nahn puh ploo]
Meaning: This expression means “I can’t take it anymore” or “I’m at my limit.”
In a Sentence:

“Je n’en peux plus, je suis trop fatigué !” (I can’t take it anymore, I’m too tired!)
“Après cette journée difficile, je n’en peux plus.” (After this tough day, I can’t take it anymore.)

Je suis surmené(e)

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee soor-muh-nay]
Meaning: This means “I’m overworked” or “I’m overloaded,” often used when someone is exhausted from too much work.
In a Sentence:

“Je suis surmenée par tous mes projets.” (I’m overworked by all my projects.)
“Il est surmené, il a besoin de prendre une pause.” (He’s overloaded, he needs to take a break.)

Je suis fatigué(e) d’avance

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee fah-tee-gay dah-vahns]
Meaning: This means “I’m tired in advance,” which is used to express feeling tired before a busy day or event.
In a Sentence:

“Je suis fatiguée d’avance, j’ai beaucoup de travail aujourd’hui.” (I’m tired in advance, I have a lot of work today.)
“Il est déjà fatigué d’avance, il va avoir une journée chargée.” (He’s already tired in advance, he’s going to have a busy day.)

Je suis épuisé(e) comme un lion

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee eh-pwee-zay kohm uhn lee-ohn]
Meaning: This is another way to say you’re “exhausted,” comparing your tiredness to a lion that’s been working hard.
In a Sentence:

“Après avoir tout donné, je suis épuisé comme un lion.” (After giving it all, I’m exhausted like a lion.)
“Elle est épuisée comme un lion après avoir porté toutes ces boîtes.” (She’s exhausted like a lion after carrying all those boxes.)

Je suis un zombie

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee uhn zom-bee]
Meaning: This literally translates to “I’m a zombie” and is used to describe someone so tired that they feel like they’re not fully alive.
In a Sentence:

“Je suis un zombie après toute cette nuit sans dormir.” (I’m a zombie after this whole night without sleep.)
“Il est un zombie ce matin après sa soirée tardive.” (He’s a zombie this morning after his late night.)

Je suis exténué(e)

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee ex-teh-new-ay]
Meaning: This means “I’m utterly exhausted” and is used when someone is very physically or mentally tired.
In a Sentence:

“Je suis exténuée après toute la journée de travail.” (I’m utterly exhausted after the whole workday.)
“Il est exténué, il a besoin d’une pause.” (He’s utterly exhausted, he needs a break.)

Je suis naze

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee nahz]
Meaning: This is a very casual way to say you’re “worn out” or “tired.” It’s often used in informal situations.
In a Sentence:

“Je suis naze, je vais me coucher.” (I’m worn out, I’m going to bed.)
“Après la fête, je suis naze !” (After the party, I’m wiped out!)

J’ai besoin de dormir

Pronunciation: [zhay buh-zwan duh dor-meer]
Meaning: This phrase means “I need to sleep,” which can be another way of saying you’re tired.
In a Sentence:

“J’ai besoin de dormir, je suis vraiment fatigué.” (I need to sleep, I’m really tired.)
“Elle a travaillé toute la journée, elle a besoin de dormir.” (She worked all day, she needs to sleep.)

Je suis trop fatigué(e) pour continuer

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee troh fah-tee-gay poor kon-tee-noo-ay]
Meaning: This means “I’m too tired to continue.”
In a Sentence:

“Je suis trop fatigué pour continuer à travailler.” (I’m too tired to keep working.)
“Elle est trop fatiguée pour continuer son entraînement.” (She’s too tired to continue her training.)

Je suis en train de m’endormir

Pronunciation: [zhuh swee ahn trahn duh mahnd-or-meer]
Meaning: This means “I’m falling asleep,” used when you’re so tired that you feel like you’re about to drift off.
In a Sentence:

“Je suis en train de m’endormir, je vais dormir un peu.” (I’m falling asleep, I’m going to rest a bit.)
“Après avoir étudié toute la nuit, je suis en train de m’endormir.” (After studying all night, I’m falling asleep.)

Other Ways to Say “I’m Tired” in French

Below is a table with additional ways to say “I’m tired” in French. These expressions vary in formality and intensity, allowing you to adapt your language depending on the context.

Other Ways to Say	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentences
Je suis à bout	[zhuh swee ah boo]	“I’m at the end of my rope,” meaning I’m completely exhausted.	“Je suis à bout après cette journée difficile.” (I’m at the end of my rope after this tough day.)
Je suis fauché(e)	[zhuh swee fo-shay]	“I’m wiped out” or “I’m spent.”	“Je suis fauché, je vais me coucher.” (I’m wiped out, I’m going to bed.)
Je suis flagada	[zhuh swee flah-gah-dah]	Casual expression for feeling “out of energy.”	“Je suis flagada après cette longue semaine.” (I’m out of energy after this long week.)
Je suis surmené(e) mentalement	[zhuh swee soor-muh-nay mahn-teh-leh-mahn]	“I’m mentally overworked” (used when you’re tired from mental work).	“Je suis surmenée mentalement avec tous ces examens.” (I’m mentally overworked with all these exams.)
Je suis fatigué(e) par la chaleur	[zhuh swee fah-tee-gay par lah shah-leur]	“I’m tired because of the heat.”	“Je suis fatiguée par la chaleur de l’été.” (I’m tired because of the summer heat.)
Je suis complètement KO	[zhuh swee kohm-pleh-teh-mahn kay-oh]	“I’m completely knocked out.”	“Après le match, je suis complètement KO.” (After the match, I’m completely knocked out.)
J’ai besoin de me reposer	[zhay buh-zwan duh muh ruh-poh-zay]	“I need to rest.”	“J’ai besoin de me reposer après toute cette activité.” (I need to rest after all this activity.)
Je suis à plat	[zhuh swee ah plah]	“I’m flat,” meaning physically and mentally drained.	“Je suis à plat après cette randonnée.” (I’m flat after this hike.)
Je suis mort(e) de fatigue	[zhuh swee mor duh fah-teeg]	“I’m dead tired.”	“Je suis morte de fatigue après ce long voyage.” (I’m dead tired after this long trip.)
Je suis vidé(e) comme un disque dur	[zhuh swee vee-day kohm uhn dees-koh dur]	“I’m drained like a hard drive” (often used humorously).	“Je suis vidé comme un disque dur après toute cette recherche.” (I’m drained like a hard drive after all this research.)
Je suis trop épuisé(e)	[zhuh swee troh eh-pwee-zay]	“I’m too exhausted.”	“Je suis trop épuisée pour continuer.” (I’m too exhausted to continue.)
Je suis rincé(e)	[zhuh swee ran-say]	“I’m drained” (informal way to say you’re tired).	“Je suis rincé, j’ai couru 10 kilomètres !” (I’m drained, I ran 10 kilometers!)
Je suis à l’ouest	[zhuh swee ah lwest]	“I’m out of it,” meaning mentally exhausted or unfocused.	“Je suis à l’ouest aujourd’hui, je n’arrive pas à me concentrer.” (I’m out of it today, I can’t focus.)
Je suis dans les vapes	[zhuh swee dahns lay vahp]	“I’m in the fog,” meaning you feel mentally tired or confused.	“Je suis dans les vapes, je n’arrive plus à réfléchir.” (I’m in the fog, I can’t think anymore.)
Je suis épuisé(e) à l’os	[zhuh swee eh-pwee-zay ah lohs]	“I’m bone-tired” (used to describe extreme exhaustion).	“Après avoir travaillé toute la nuit, je suis épuisée à l’os.” (After working all night, I’m bone-tired.)
Je suis épuisé(e) moralement	[zhuh swee eh-pwee-zay mo-ral-mahn]	“I’m emotionally drained.”	“Je suis épuisée moralement après tout ce stress.” (I’m emotionally drained after all this stress.)
Je suis vidé(e) après la fête	[zhuh swee vee-day ah-preh lah fet]	“I’m drained after the party.”	“Je suis vidé après cette grande fête.” (I’m drained after that big party.)
Je suis à bout de nerfs	[zhuh swee ah boo duh nerf]	“I’m at the end of my nerves,” often used for mental exhaustion.	“Je suis à bout de nerfs après cette journée de travail stressante.” (I’m at the end of my nerves after this stressful workday.)
Je suis claqué(e)	[zhuh swee klah-kay]	“I’m exhausted” (slang, commonly used in casual conversation).	“Je suis claqué après avoir déménagé toute la journée.” (I’m exhausted after moving all day.)
Je suis dans un état second	[zhuh swee dahns uhn eh-tah seh-gohn]	“I’m in a second state,” meaning mentally or physically exhausted.	“Je suis dans un état second après ce voyage long et fatigant.” (I’m in a second state after this long and tiring trip.)

Response to “I’m Tired” in French

When someone tells you they’re tired in French, there are various ways you can respond, depending on how you feel or what you’d like to say. Whether you want to offer sympathy, suggest a rest, or acknowledge their exhaustion, these responses will help you continue the conversation.

Repose-toi bien !

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Pronunciation: [ruh-pohz twah byan]
Meaning: “Rest well!” This is a kind and encouraging response, perfect when someone says they’re tired.
In a Sentence:

“Tu as eu une longue journée, repose-toi bien !” (You’ve had a long day, rest well!)
“Repose-toi bien, tu en as besoin.” (Rest well, you need it.)

Tu devrais te reposer.

Pronunciation: [too duh-vray tuh ruh-poh-zay]
Meaning: “You should rest.” This is a caring suggestion, encouraging the person to take a break.
In a Sentence:

“Tu devrais te reposer, tu es épuisé.” (You should rest, you’re exhausted.)
“Tu devrais te reposer, ça te fera du bien.” (You should rest, it will do you good.)

Courage !

Pronunciation: [koo-rahzh]
Meaning: “Good luck!” or “Hang in there!” This response offers encouragement, especially if the person has a long task ahead.
In a Sentence:

“Tu es fatigué, mais courage, ça va aller !” (You’re tired, but hang in there, it will be fine!)
“Courage, la fin de la journée approche !” (Hang in there, the end of the day is near!)

Prends une pause.

Pronunciation: [prahz oon pohz]
Meaning: “Take a break.” This response suggests taking a short rest or break to recharge.
In a Sentence:

“Prends une pause, tu en as bien besoin.” (Take a break, you really need it.)
“Prends une pause, ça va te ressourcer.” (Take a break, it will recharge you.)

Tu devrais dormir un peu.

Pronunciation: [too duh-vray dor-meer uhn puh]
Meaning: “You should sleep a bit.” This response is perfect when someone is very tired and might need some sleep.
In a Sentence:

“Tu devrais dormir un peu, tu es épuisé.” (You should sleep a bit, you’re exhausted.)
“Dormir un peu te ferait du bien.” (Sleeping a bit would do you good.)

Je comprends, repose-toi.

Pronunciation: [zhuh kohm-pron, ruh-pohz twah]
Meaning: “I understand, rest.” This response shows empathy, acknowledging the person’s tiredness and suggesting rest.
In a Sentence:

“Je comprends, repose-toi, tu as eu une journée chargée.” (I understand, rest, you’ve had a busy day.)
“Je comprends, repose-toi bien avant de continuer.” (I understand, rest well before continuing.)

Prends soin de toi.

Pronunciation: [prahz swahn duh twah]
Meaning: “Take care of yourself.” This is a warm, caring response, offering the person advice to take care of their well-being.
In a Sentence:

“Tu es fatigué, prends soin de toi.” (You’re tired, take care of yourself.)
“Prends soin de toi et repose-toi.” (Take care of yourself and rest.)

Ça va aller, repose-toi un peu.

Pronunciation: [sah vah ah-lay, ruh-pohz twah uhn puh]
Meaning: “It will be okay, rest a bit.” This phrase reassures the person that things will be fine and encourages them to rest.
In a Sentence:

“Ça va aller, repose-toi un peu, tu as bien travaillé.” (It will be okay, rest a bit, you’ve worked hard.)
“Ne t’inquiète pas, ça va aller, repose-toi.” (Don’t worry, it will be okay, rest.)

Fais une sieste.

Pronunciation: [feh oon see-ehst]
Meaning: “Take a nap.” This suggestion is ideal when someone is tired but might not want to sleep for a long time.
In a Sentence:

“Tu devrais faire une sieste, tu seras plus en forme après.” (You should take a nap, you’ll feel better after.)
“Fais une sieste, ça te fera du bien.” (Take a nap, it will do you good.)

Tu as l’air épuisé(e).

Pronunciation: [too ah lay eh-pwee-zay]
Meaning: “You look exhausted.” This shows concern and acknowledges that the person is very tired.
In a Sentence:

“Tu as l’air épuisée, prends un peu de repos.” (You look exhausted, take a little rest.)
“Tu as l’air épuisé, pourquoi ne pas te reposer ?” (You look exhausted, why not rest?)

Exercise to Practice Saying “I’m Tired” in French

To help you practice the different ways to say “I’m tired” in French, here are 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences. These sentences use the various expressions we’ve covered earlier. Try to fill in each blank with the correct phrase, and then check your answers to see how well you did!

Fill-in-the-Blank Sentences

Après avoir couru toute la journée, je __________.
(Meaning: After running all day, I am exhausted.)
Je __________, j’ai besoin de dormir.
(Meaning: I’m wiped out, I need to sleep.)
Tu __________, tu devrais te reposer un peu.
(Meaning: You look exhausted, you should rest a little.)
J’ai __________ de fatigue après cette longue réunion.
(Meaning: I’m drained from fatigue after this long meeting.)
Il est tard, je __________.
(Meaning: It’s late, I’m sleepy.)
Je __________, je vais prendre une sieste.
(Meaning: I’m tired, I’m going to take a nap.)
Après ce voyage, je __________ à l’os.
(Meaning: After this trip, I’m bone-tired.)
Je __________, mais je vais continuer à travailler.
(Meaning: I’m dead tired, but I’ll continue working.)
Elle est __________ après cette journée bien remplie.
(Meaning: She’s completely wiped out after this busy day.)
J’ai __________, je vais me coucher tôt ce soir.
(Meaning: I’m too tired to continue, I’m going to bed early tonight.)
Après toute cette activité, je __________.
(Meaning: After all this activity, I’m wiped out.)
Après avoir étudié pendant des heures, je __________.
(Meaning: After studying for hours, I’m mentally exhausted.)

Answers

suis épuisé(e)
suis crevé(e)
es fatigué(e)
sommeil
suis fatigué(e)
suis vidé(e)
suis épuisé(e)
suis mort(e) de fatigue
est rincée
suis trop fatigué(e) pour continuer
suis flagada
suis épuisé(e) mentalement

Conclusion

Learning how to say “I’m tired” in French is a useful skill, whether you’re traveling, conversing with French-speaking friends, or just studying the language. With the various expressions we covered, you now have many ways to express different levels of fatigue, from feeling slightly sleepy to being completely exhausted.

By practicing the phrases and responses we’ve discussed, you’ll feel more confident in using them in real-life situations. Remember that context matters – the level of tiredness you feel will determine which phrase you choose. Whether you say “Je suis fatigué(e)” for a simple tiredness or “Je suis crevé(e)” for being totally worn out, you’ll be able to communicate effectively.

Keep practicing these phrases, and you’ll not only expand your vocabulary but also gain a deeper understanding of how French speakers express fatigue. Don’t forget to try out the exercises and responses in your conversations to make learning fun and interactive.

How To Say I’m Tired In French