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B1 verb #2,500 am häufigsten 6 Min. Lesezeit

cansar-se

At the A1 level, you learn that 'cansar-se' means 'to get tired'. You might use it in very simple sentences like 'Eu me canso' (I get tired). At this stage, you focus on the present tense and the basic idea of physical fatigue after an activity like walking or playing. You start to see that the little word 'me' or 'se' is important, even if you don't fully understand reflexive verbs yet. You learn it as a fixed phrase to describe how you feel after a long day.
At A2, you begin to conjugate 'cansar-se' in the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito), such as 'Eu me cansei ontem' (I got tired yesterday). You also learn to use it with the preposition 'de' to say you are tired of an activity, like 'Eu me canso de estudar' (I get tired of studying). You start to notice the difference between Brazilian and European pronoun placement, though you usually stick to one style. You can describe simple cause-and-effect situations regarding fatigue.
At B1, you use 'cansar-se' more naturally in conversation. You understand the difference between the process of getting tired ('cansar-se') and the state of being tired ('estar cansado'). You can use it in the imperfect tense to describe past habits ('Eu cansava-me facilmente quando era criança'). You also use it metaphorically to talk about being 'tired of' a situation or a person's behavior. You are comfortable with pronoun placement in negative sentences and questions.
At B2, you use 'cansar-se' with more nuance and in more complex grammatical structures, such as the subjunctive ('Espero que ele não se canse'). You recognize it in more formal contexts and can use synonyms like 'fatigar-se' or 'fartar-se' depending on the situation. You understand how the verb functions in passive-like reflexive structures and can use it to express subtle emotional shifts in narratives or debates. Your use of the preposition 'de' is consistent and accurate.
At C1, 'cansar-se' is part of a wide range of vocabulary used to describe exhaustion. You use it in sophisticated ways, perhaps using the future subjunctive or personal infinitive ('Para não nos cansarmos, devemos parar'). You understand the stylistic choice of using 'cansar-se' versus 'exaurir-se' or 'esgotar-se'. You can follow complex discussions about burnout or physical endurance where this verb and its derivatives are used frequently and idiomatically.
At C2, you have a masterly command of 'cansar-se'. You can use it in literary or highly formal registers, including rare forms like mesoclisis if writing in a very traditional European style. You understand the deepest metaphorical implications of the verb in poetry or classical literature. You can distinguish between the most subtle shades of meaning when 'cansar-se' is used in legal, medical, or philosophical texts, and you use it with perfect grammatical precision in any context.
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cansar-se in 30 Sekunden

  • Reflexive verb meaning 'to get tired'.
  • Used for both physical and mental fatigue.
  • Commonly paired with 'de' (tired of something).
  • Conjugated like a regular -ar verb with pronouns.

The verb cansar-se is a fundamental reflexive verb in Portuguese that translates to "to get tired," "to become fatigued," or "to weary oneself." Unlike the simple verb cansar (which means to tire someone or something else out), the reflexive form cansar-se focuses on the internal state of the subject undergoing the change from being energetic to being tired. It is a process-oriented verb, highlighting the transition into a state of fatigue. In the CEFR B1 level, understanding the nuance between the state (estar cansado) and the process (cansar-se) is crucial for natural-sounding speech.

Physical Fatigue
Refers to the body losing energy due to physical exertion, such as running or working manually.
Mental Exhaustion
Refers to the brain becoming overloaded or bored by repetitive tasks or intense study.
Emotional Weariness
Often used with the preposition 'de' to indicate losing patience or interest in a situation or person.

"Eu canso-me facilmente quando corro no verão." (I get tired easily when I run in the summer.)

In European Portuguese, the pronoun usually follows the verb (canso-me), whereas in Brazilian Portuguese, it frequently precedes it (me canso). This verb is essential for describing daily routines, health, and personal limits. It captures the moment energy begins to wane. Whether you are talking about a long day at the office or a difficult hike, cansar-se provides the necessary linguistic tool to express that decline in stamina.

"Ela cansou-se de esperar por uma resposta que nunca vinha." (She got tired of waiting for an answer that never came.)

Furthermore, cansar-se is often paired with the preposition de to express becoming "fed up" or "bored" with something. This idiomatic usage is extremely common in colloquial Portuguese. For instance, cansar-se de um emprego implies not just physical tiredness, but a psychological desire to quit or change. It suggests a saturation point has been reached.

"Nós cansamo-nos das mentiras dele." (We got tired of his lies.)

Reflexive Pronouns
Me, te, se, nos, vos, se - these must agree with the subject.
Prepositional Use
Cansar-se + de + noun/verb (to get tired of...).

"Vocês cansam-se muito no trabalho?" (Do you get very tired at work?)

"O atleta cansou-se antes do fim da maratona." (The athlete got tired before the end of the marathon.)

Using cansar-se correctly requires attention to two main things: reflexive pronoun placement and the use of prepositions. As a regular -ar verb, its conjugation is straightforward, but the 'se' makes it dynamic. In a sentence, the pronoun changes based on who is getting tired. For example: Eu me canso (BR) / Canso-me (PT). When you want to specify what is making you tired, you must use the preposition de.

  • Reflexive Nature: The action reflects back on the subject. Ele se cansou (He tired himself/got tired).
  • With Verbs: If you get tired of doing something, use the infinitive: Canso-me de estudar.
  • With Nouns: Canso-me da rotina (I get tired of the routine).

In negative sentences, the pronoun typically moves before the verb in both variants of Portuguese: Eu não me canso. This is a rule of clitic placement (próclise) triggered by the negative word 'não'. Similarly, in questions starting with interrogative pronouns like 'quem' or 'por que', the pronoun also tends to come before the verb: Por que você se cansou?

"Se você não parar, vai cansar-se depressa." (If you don't stop, you will get tired quickly.)

In more formal writing, especially in Portugal, you might encounter the mesoclisis (mesóclise) with the future tense, though it is rare for this specific verb: cansar-me-ei. However, for B1 learners, focusing on the present, past (perfeito), and imperfect (imperfeito) is most practical. The imperfect cansava-me is used to describe a habit of getting tired in the past or a state that was ongoing.

You will encounter cansar-se in a variety of daily contexts. In a fitness setting, a trainer might ask: "Já se cansou?" (Are you tired yet?). In a workplace, a colleague might complain: "Canso-me de olhar para este monitor o dia todo." (I get tired of looking at this monitor all day). It is a very common verb in personal venting and health-related discussions.

In literature and music (Fado or MPB), cansar-se often takes on a more metaphorical or existential meaning. It describes a soul becoming weary of life, love, or searching. Lyrics might include phrases like "Cansou-se de amar" (Got tired of loving), suggesting a deep emotional exhaustion that goes beyond physical sleepiness.

On social media or in blogs, you'll see it in lifestyle content: "5 dicas para não se cansar durante a viagem" (5 tips to not get tired during the trip). It's also prevalent in medical advice: "Se se cansar com facilidade, consulte um médico" (If you get tired easily, consult a doctor). The verb is versatile, bridging the gap between clinical symptoms and casual complaints.

The most frequent mistake learners make is forgetting the reflexive pronoun. Saying "Eu cansei" is common in very informal Brazilian Portuguese, but in standard grammar and European Portuguese, it should be "Eu me cansei" or "Cansei-me". Without the pronoun, the verb cansar is transitive, meaning it needs an object (e.g., "Este trabalho cansa-me" - This job tires me).

Another error is confusing cansar-se (the process) with estar cansado (the state). Use cansar-se when you want to describe the transition: "Comecei a correr e cansei-me logo". Use estar cansado for the result: "Agora estou cansado". You cannot say "Eu canso-me" to mean "I am tired right now"; that would mean "I generally get tired."

Preposition errors are also common. Learners often try to use 'com' or 'por' instead of de. Correct: Cansar-se de algo. Incorrect: Cansar-se com algo (though 'com' can sometimes be used to mean 'by means of', 'de' is the standard for 'tired of').

There are several synonyms and related terms that can enrich your vocabulary. Fatigar-se is a more formal and clinical synonym for cansar-se. It is often used in technical, medical, or sports contexts. Exaurir-se (to exhaust oneself) is much stronger, implying that all energy reserves have been completely spent.

Fartar-se is a very common synonym when the meaning is "to get tired of" in a psychological or emotional sense. While cansar-se de is "to get tired of," fartar-se de is closer to "to be fed up with" or "to have had enough of." It carries a stronger tone of annoyance or impatience.

Esgotar-se is another powerful alternative, meaning "to run out" or "to be depleted." It can be used for people (Esgotei-me no trabalho) or resources (A paciência esgotou-se). For B1 learners, sticking to cansar-se is safe, but recognizing these alternatives will help in understanding more complex texts and conversations.

How Formal Is It?

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Schwierigkeitsgrad

Wichtige Grammatik

Beispiele nach Niveau

1

Eu me canso muito.

I get very tired.

Present tense, reflexive.

2

Você se cansa na escola?

Do you get tired at school?

Interrogative with 'se'.

3

Ele se cansa rápido.

He gets tired fast.

Third person singular.

4

Nós nos cansamos.

We get tired.

First person plural.

5

Ela não se cansa.

She doesn't get tired.

Negative sentence.

6

Eu canso-me aqui.

I get tired here.

European Portuguese placement.

7

Eles se cansam de brincar.

They get tired of playing.

Cansar-se + de + infinitive.

8

Você se cansa de ler?

Do you get tired of reading?

Simple question.

1

Ontem, eu me cansei no trabalho.

Yesterday, I got tired at work.

Pretérito Perfeito.

2

Nós nos cansamos da viagem.

We got tired of the trip.

Past tense with preposition 'de'.

3

Ela se cansou de esperar o ônibus.

She got tired of waiting for the bus.

Past tense.

4

Vocês se cansaram muito?

Did you (plural) get very tired?

Question in the past.

5

Eu não me cansei nada.

I didn't get tired at all.

Negative past.

6

Ele cansou-se de comer pizza.

He got tired of eating pizza.

EP placement + de + infinitive.

7

Por que você se cansou tão cedo?

Why did you get tired so early?

Interrogative 'por que'.

8

Nós nunca nos cansamos de música.

We never get tired of music.

Use of 'nunca'.

1

Eu cansava-me sempre nas aulas de matemática.

I always used to get tired in math classes.

Pretérito Imperfeito (habitual).

2

Se você correr assim, vai cansar-se logo.

If you run like that, you will get tired soon.

Future with 'ir' + reflexive.

3

Ela cansou-se de explicar a mesma coisa.

She got tired of explaining the same thing.

Metaphorical fatigue.

4

É normal cansar-se depois de um dia longo.

It is normal to get tired after a long day.

Impersonal infinitive.

5

Eu me canso de pessoas que reclamam muito.

I get tired of people who complain a lot.

Abstract usage.

6

Nós nos cansamos de viver na cidade grande.

We got tired of living in the big city.

Life change context.

7

Você se cansaria se trabalhasse doze horas?

Would you get tired if you worked twelve hours?

Conditional tense.

8

Eles se cansaram de lutar pelo aumento.

They got tired of fighting for the raise.

Social/Work context.

1

Duvido que ele se canse tão facilmente.

I doubt that he gets tired so easily.

Present Subjunctive after 'duvido que'.

2

Caso você se canse, pode parar um pouco.

In case you get tired, you can stop for a bit.

Subjunctive with 'caso'.

3

Ela tem-se cansado muito ultimamente.

She has been getting very tired lately.

Pretérito Perfeito Composto.

4

Não quero que vocês se cansem antes da festa.

I don't want you to get tired before the party.

Subjunctive after 'querer que'.

5

Ao cansar-se, o corpo pede repouso.

Upon getting tired, the body asks for rest.

Infinitivo flexionado/prepositional.

6

Ele cansou-se da monotonia do seu quotidiano.

He grew weary of the monotony of his daily life.

Literary tone.

7

Se eu me cansasse, eu diria.

If I got tired, I would say so.

Imperfect Subjunctive.

8

Ninguém se cansou de ouvir as suas histórias.

Nobody got tired of hearing his stories.

Negative subject 'ninguém'.

1

É imperativo que não nos cansemos de buscar a justiça.

It is imperative that we do not grow weary of seeking justice.

Formal subjunctive.

2

O autor cansou-se das convenções literárias da época.

The author grew tired of the literary conventions of the time.

Academic/Literary context.

3

Tendo-se cansado da política, ele retirou-se para o campo.

Having grown tired of politics, he retired to the countryside.

Gerund with reflexive pronoun.

4

A população cansou-se de promessas não cumpridas.

The population grew weary of unfulfilled promises.

Collective noun subject.

5

Embora se cansasse, ele nunca desistia.

Although he would get tired, he never gave up.

Concessive clause with subjunctive.

6

Cansar-se-á quem não souber dosear o esforço.

He who does not know how to pace his effort will get tired.

Future indicative with mesoclisis (Formal PT).

7

Não permitas que o teu coração se canse de amar.

Do not allow your heart to grow weary of loving.

Imperative + Subjunctive (Poetic).

8

A vista cansou-se após horas de leitura minuciosa.

The eyesight became fatigued after hours of meticulous reading.

Metonymic subject.

1

Oxalá não se cansem os que lutam pela paz.

May those who fight for peace not grow weary.

Optative subjunctive with 'Oxalá'.

2

A alma, cansando-se do invólucro carnal, almeja a liberdade.

The soul, wearying of its fleshly shell, yearns for freedom.

Highly literary/Philosophical.

3

Cansar-se-iam os deuses de tamanha insolência humana?

Would the gods grow weary of such human insolence?

Conditional with mesoclisis (EP).

4

O intelecto cansa-se quando confrontado com o absurdo.

The intellect becomes fatigued when confronted with the absurd.

Philosophical abstraction.

5

Haverá quem se canse de tamanha beleza?

Will there be anyone who grows tired of such beauty?

Rhetorical question with relative clause.

6

Cansamo-nos, por vezes, da nossa própria existência.

We grow weary, at times, of our own existence.

Existential usage.

7

A matéria cansa-se, mas o espírito é eterno.

Matter wears out, but the spirit is eternal.

Ontological contrast.

8

Se porventura te cansares, recorda o propósito inicial.

If by chance you grow weary, remember the initial purpose.

Future subjunctive with 'porventura'.

Häufige Kollokationen

cansar-se depressa
cansar-se facilmente
cansar-se de esperar
cansar-se de lutar
cansar-se da rotina
cansar-se de ouvir
cansar-se à toa
cansar-se fisicamente
cansar-se mentalmente
cansar-se de tudo

Häufige Phrasen

Não se canse!

Já se cansou?

Canso-me de dizer...

Nunca me canso disto.

Ele cansa-se por nada.

Cansar-se de morte.

Cansar-se de guerra.

Cansar-se de tanto rir.

Cansar-se de caminhar.

Cansar-se da vida.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

cansar-se vs Cansar (transitive: to tire someone else)

cansar-se vs Casar-se (to get married - similar spelling)

cansar-se vs Cantar (to sing - similar sound)

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

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Leicht verwechselbar

cansar-se vs

cansar-se vs

cansar-se vs

cansar-se vs

cansar-se vs

Satzmuster

So verwendest du es

nuance

Cansar-se is more about the process, while estar cansado is the result.

regional

Reflexive pronoun placement is the biggest regional difference.

Häufige Fehler

  • Missing reflexive pronoun.

  • Wrong preposition (use 'de' instead of 'com').

  • Wrong reflexive pronoun for 'nós'.

  • Must use the infinitive after 'de'.

  • Confusing the process (getting tired) with the current state (being tired).

Tipps

Pronoun Agreement

Ensure the pronoun matches the person: Eu me, Tu te, Ele se, Nós nos, Vós vos, Eles se.

The 'De' Rule

Always use 'de' before the thing that makes you tired. 'Canso-me de você'.

Avoid Repetition

Use 'fartar-se' if you want to sound more annoyed or 'fed up'.

Pronunciation

The 'n' in 'cansar' is nasal. Don't pronounce it like a hard English 'n'.

Regional Choice

If in Portugal, put the pronoun after: 'Cansei-me'. In Brazil, put it before: 'Me cansei'.

Negative Sentences

In negatives, the pronoun always jumps to the front: 'Não me canso'.

Word Family

Learn 'cansaço' at the same time to describe the feeling as a noun.

Clitic Reduction

In fast speech, 'se cansa' might sound like 'scansa'. Listen for the 's' sound.

The Battery

Visualize your own internal battery draining when you use this verb.

State vs Process

Use 'estou cansado' for 'I am tired' and 'canso-me' for 'I get tired'.

Einprägen

Wortherkunft

From Vulgar Latin *campsāre, from Greek kamptō (to bend, to turn).

Kultureller Kontext

Saying 'Canso-me de você' is a very strong way to end a relationship or argument.

The concept of 'descansar' (resting) is highly valued as the antidote to 'cansar-se'.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Gesprächseinstiege

"Você se cansa muito no seu trabalho?"

"Do que você mais se cansa durante a semana?"

"Você se cansa de morar nesta cidade?"

"O que você faz quando se cansa de estudar?"

"Você se cansa facilmente quando faz exercício?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

Descreve uma situação em que te cansaste muito.

De que coisas na tua vida te estás a cansar?

Como te sentes quando te cansas mentalmente?

Escreve sobre um hobby de que nunca te cansas.

O que mudarias na tua rotina para não te cansares tanto?

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

In informal Brazilian Portuguese, yes. In formal Portuguese or European Portuguese, you should say 'Eu me cansei' or 'Cansei-me'.

'Cansar' means to tire someone else out (e.g., 'This job tires me'). 'Cansar-se' means you are getting tired yourself.

Usually, we use 'cansar-se de'. 'Com' is used if you are tired 'by' something as a tool or specific cause, but 'de' is much more common for 'tired of'.

You can say 'Estou-me a cansar disto' (PT) or 'Estou me cansando disso' (BR).

Yes, it follows the regular -ar conjugation pattern.

No, objects don't 'cansar-se'. It is for living beings with energy or patience.

The noun is 'cansaço' (tiredness/fatigue).

Only when the subject is the one getting tired. If you tire a dog out, you use 'cansar o cão'.

Não se canse (formal/BR) or Não te canses (informal).

Yes, to describe burnout or being tired of a project.

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