A1 Collocation Neutral

Sono stanco

I am tired

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'Sono stanco' to tell someone you're tired and need a break or sleep.

  • Means: I am tired (physical or mental fatigue).
  • Used in: After work, late at night, or after exercise.
  • Don't confuse: Use 'essere' (to be), never 'avere' (to have) for tiredness.
Long day + 🥱 = Sono stanco

Explanation at your level:

At this level, 'Sono stanco' is a basic building block. You use it to talk about yourself. You need to remember that the ending changes: 'o' for boys, 'a' for girls. It's used with the verb 'essere' (to be). It's very simple and helpful for daily life.
Now you can add more detail. You can say *why* you are tired using 'perché' or 'dopo'. You also learn to use 'stanco di' to say you are tired of an activity. You start using adverbs like 'molto' or 'troppo' to show how tired you are.
At the intermediate level, you use 'stanco' in different tenses, like the past (Ero stanco) or the future (Sarò stanco). You understand the difference between 'stanco' and 'faticoso'. You can also use it in more complex sentences with the conditional to express hypothetical fatigue.
You begin to use idiomatic expressions like 'stanco morto' or 'essere a pezzi'. You understand the nuance of using 'stanco' in professional vs. personal settings. You can discuss the concept of 'stanchezza' (tiredness) as a noun and its impact on productivity or health in more complex discussions.
Advanced learners use 'stanco' to describe abstract concepts, such as a 'stanco' style in art or a 'stanco' political climate. You can navigate synonyms like 'spossato', 'estenuato', or 'prostrato' to convey precise levels of physical or mental depletion in formal writing or sophisticated conversation.
At this level, you appreciate the etymological connection to 'stagnation' and can use the term within a broader cognitive linguistic framework. You master the subtle interplay between 'stanco' and its literary counterparts in Italian prose, recognizing how the term functions as a signifier of existential weariness or historical decadence.

Bedeutung

Feeling a need for rest.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

The 'pausa caffè' is not just for caffeine; it's a social ritual to break the 'stanchezza' of the workday. Saying 'Sono stanco' is often an invitation for a coffee break. The 'controra' (the hottest hours of the early afternoon) is a time when everyone is expected to be 'stanco' and rest. Shops close and streets go quiet. Complaining about being 'stanco' can be a way to show you are a hard worker. It's a form of 'humble bragging' about one's productivity. Mothers often use 'Sono stanca' to signal that they need help with chores or that the children need to be quiet. It carries a weight of authority.

💡

Gender Check

Always check who is speaking. If you're a woman, it's 'stanca'—even if you're talking to a man.

⚠️

No 'Avere'

Never say 'Ho stanco'. It's the most common beginner mistake!

Bedeutung

Feeling a need for rest.

💡

Gender Check

Always check who is speaking. If you're a woman, it's 'stanca'—even if you're talking to a man.

⚠️

No 'Avere'

Never say 'Ho stanco'. It's the most common beginner mistake!

🎯

Add 'Morto'

To sound like a native after a really long day, add 'morto'. It shows you really know the language.

💬

Polite Refusal

In Italy, 'Sono stanco' is a very polite and unquestioned way to say no to an invitation.

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the correct form of 'stanco' (stanco, stanca, stanchi, stanche).

Giulia ha lavorato tutto il giorno. Lei è molto ____.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: stanca

Giulia is a female singular subject, so the adjective must end in 'a'.

Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence.

Io ____ stanco morto oggi.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: sono

Tiredness in Italian uses the verb 'essere' (to be). 'Io sono' is the first person singular.

Match the Italian phrase with its English meaning.

Match the following:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 1-I'm tired of you, 2-We are tired, 3-Are you (f) tired?, 4-I'm dead tired

These cover the basic variations of the phrase.

Complete the dialogue with the most natural response.

A: Andiamo in discoteca stasera? B: No, scusa, ____.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: sono stanco

'Sono stanco' is the standard way to decline an invitation due to fatigue.

🎉 Ergebnis: /4

Visuelle Lernhilfen

The Four Forms of Stanco

👨

Masculine

  • • Singular: Stanco
  • • Plural: Stanchi
👩

Feminine

  • • Singular: Stanca
  • • Plural: Stanche

Stanco vs. Faticoso

Stanco (Adjective)
Io sono stanco I am tired
Faticoso (Adjective)
Il lavoro è faticoso The work is tiring

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

Generally no. It describes a feeling. However, in C1/C2 levels, you might hear 'un colore stanco' (a faded color), but it's very poetic.

'Stanco' is tired; 'sfinito' is completely exhausted/finished.

No, 'Sono stanco' already implies 'I' because of the verb 'sono'.

You say 'Sono stanco di te'. Be careful, it's quite strong!

Yes, but if you specifically mean you are sleepy, you say 'Ho sonno'.

Yes, it means 'I'm fed up with this'.

The plural for a group of females is 'stanche'.

It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.

Use the verb 'Mi sto stancando'.

Yes, 'Sono fuso' (I'm melted) or 'Sono scoppiato' (I'm popped/burst).

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

Stanco morto

specialized form

Dead tired

🔄

Essere a pezzi

synonym

To be in pieces

🔄

Sfinito

synonym

Exhausted

🔗

Stancarsi

builds on

To get tired

🔗

Faticoso

contrast

Tiring

Wo du es verwendest

💼

After a long work shift

Collega: Hai finito il report?

Tu: Sì, finalmente. Ma ora sono stanco morto.

neutral
🎉

Declining a party invitation

Amico: Vieni alla festa stasera?

Tu: Mi dispiace, sono troppo stanca. Resto a casa.

informal
🏋️

At the gym with a trainer

Trainer: Ancora dieci flessioni!

Tu: Non ce la faccio, sono stanco!

neutral
🌙

Late night at home

Partner: Guardiamo un altro film?

Tu: No, sono stanco. Vado a letto.

informal
🚗

Complaining about traffic

Tu: Sono stanco di questo traffico ogni mattina!

Passeggero: Hai ragione, è terribile.

informal
🥾

After a long hike

Guida: Siamo quasi arrivati.

Tu: Meno male, le mie gambe sono stanche.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Tank' (Stanco) that is empty and needs to be refilled with gas (rest).

Visual Association

Imagine a giant, heavy Italian 'O' (for stanco) or 'A' (for stanca) sitting on your shoulders, making it hard to walk.

Rhyme

Se sei stanco, siediti sul banco. (If you are tired, sit on the bench.)

Story

Marco worked all day in Rome. He walked past the Colosseum, but he didn't stop to look. He just whispered, 'Sono stanco,' and headed straight for his bed.

Word Web

riposolettodormiresonnofaticosolavoroenergiasfinito

Herausforderung

Try to say 'Sono stanco' or 'Sono stanca' out loud every time you feel a bit of fatigue today, making sure to use the correct ending for your gender.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Estoy cansado

Spanish uses 'estar' (temporary state), while Italian only has 'essere' for all states of being.

French high

Je suis fatigué

The root word is different (fatigue vs. stanco).

German moderate

Ich bin müde

No gender agreement for the adjective 'müde' in this sentence structure.

Japanese low

疲れました (Tsukaremashita)

It is a verb expressing a change of state, not an adjective describing a quality.

Arabic moderate

أنا تعبان (Ana ta'ban)

Arabic often omits the verb 'to be' in the present tense.

Chinese low

我累了 (Wǒ lèi le)

No verb 'to be' is used, and there is no gender agreement.

Korean low

피곤해요 (Pigon-haeyo)

The verb ending changes based on politeness level, not gender.

Portuguese high

Estou cansado

Pronunciation and spelling of the adjective 'cansado' vs 'stanco'.

Easily Confused

Sono stanco vs. Faticoso

Learners use 'stanco' to describe a job or a climb.

People are 'stanchi'; tasks are 'faticosi'.

Sono stanco vs. Annoiato

In some languages, 'tired' can mean 'bored'.

Use 'stanco' for lack of energy, 'annoiato' for lack of interest.

FAQ (10)

Generally no. It describes a feeling. However, in C1/C2 levels, you might hear 'un colore stanco' (a faded color), but it's very poetic.

'Stanco' is tired; 'sfinito' is completely exhausted/finished.

No, 'Sono stanco' already implies 'I' because of the verb 'sono'.

You say 'Sono stanco di te'. Be careful, it's quite strong!

Yes, but if you specifically mean you are sleepy, you say 'Ho sonno'.

Yes, it means 'I'm fed up with this'.

The plural for a group of females is 'stanche'.

It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.

Use the verb 'Mi sto stancando'.

Yes, 'Sono fuso' (I'm melted) or 'Sono scoppiato' (I'm popped/burst).

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