A1 Expression Formal

피곤해요

pigonhaeyo

I'm tired

Phrase in 30 Seconds

피곤해요 is the standard, polite way to tell someone you are feeling tired or exhausted after a long day.

  • Means: 'I am tired' or 'I feel fatigued' (physically or mentally).
  • Used in: Daily conversations with colleagues, friends, or family to express exhaustion.
  • Don't confuse: With '졸려요' (jol-lyeo-yo), which specifically means you are 'sleepy' and want to nap.
😫 (Hard work) + ⏳ (Time passing) = 피곤해요 (Exhaustion)

Explanation at your level:

At this level, '피곤해요' is a simple way to say 'I am tired.' You use it when you want to sleep or after you walk a lot. It is a basic feeling like 'happy' or 'sad.' You can use it with '너무' (very) to say '너무 피곤해요.'
At the A2 level, you can explain *why* you are tired using the '-아서/어서' grammar. For example, '일을 많이 해서 피곤해요' (I'm tired because I worked a lot). You also learn to distinguish it from '졸려요' (sleepy) and use it in the past tense '피곤했어요.'
Intermediate learners use '피곤하다' to describe mental stress and social situations. You might say a relationship is '피곤하다' (draining). You also start using related expressions like '힘들다' and '스트레스 받다' (to be stressed) to provide more nuance to your feelings.
Upper-intermediate learners understand the cultural weight of '피곤하다' in the Korean workplace. You can discuss 'burnout' and use idiomatic expressions like '피로가 쌓이다' (fatigue accumulates). You understand how to adjust the formality based on who you are talking to in a professional setting.
Advanced learners can analyze the Hanja roots {疲|피} and {困|곤} to understand the deeper connotations of 'distress' within the word. You can use the phrase in literary or academic contexts to discuss societal issues like 'Gwarosa' (death by overwork) and the psychological impact of the 'Pali-pali' culture.
At the mastery level, you use '피곤하다' with native-like intuition, employing it sarcastically or metaphorically in complex social maneuvers. You understand the subtle difference between '피곤하다' and '고단하다' (a more soulful, weary tiredness) and can navigate the most formal registers of the language with ease.

Significado

Expresses the feeling of being physically or mentally weary.

🌍

Contexto cultural

In Korean office culture, saying '피곤해요' is often a way to show you are a dedicated worker. It's socially expected to be tired because it implies you've been working hard (Pali-pali culture). Similar to Korea, the phrase 'Otsukaresama' (You are tired/Good job) is the standard greeting in workplaces, acknowledging the shared fatigue of labor. While 'I'm tired' is common, it can sometimes be seen as a complaint or a sign of poor time management in some professional Western contexts, whereas in Korea, it's more of a shared reality. The term 'K-Fatigue' is sometimes used to describe the specific burnout from high-speed internet, constant notifications, and the pressure of social media in Korea.

💡

Add '조금' for politeness

Saying '조금 피곤해요' (I'm a little tired) sounds more humble and less like a complaint than just '피곤해요.'

⚠️

Don't use with elders casually

Telling an elder '피곤해' (informal) can sound like you are whining. Always use the '-해요' or '-합니다' form.

Significado

Expresses the feeling of being physically or mentally weary.

💡

Add '조금' for politeness

Saying '조금 피곤해요' (I'm a little tired) sounds more humble and less like a complaint than just '피곤해요.'

⚠️

Don't use with elders casually

Telling an elder '피곤해' (informal) can sound like you are whining. Always use the '-해요' or '-합니다' form.

🎯

The 'Pigeon' Mnemonic

If you forget the word, think of a tired Pigeon. Pi-gon!

Ponte a prueba

Choose the correct word to fill in the blank: '어제 잠을 못 잤어요. 그래서 오늘 너무 _______.'

Yesterday I couldn't sleep. So today I am very _______.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 피곤해요

If you can't sleep, the logical result is being tired (피곤해요).

Complete the dialogue with the correct form of 피곤하다.

가: 오늘 운동 많이 했어요? 나: 네, 그래서 지금 너무 _______.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 피곤해요

The conversation is in the polite '-해요' style, so '피곤해요' is the most natural fit.

Match the situation to the correct expression.

You have been working for 12 hours and your body feels heavy.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 피곤해요

Physical exhaustion from work is '피곤해요.' '졸려요' is for sleepiness, and '심심해요' is for boredom.

Fill in the blank with the past tense of 피곤하다.

어제는 일이 많아서 정말 __________.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 피곤했어요

The sentence starts with '어제' (yesterday), so the past tense '피곤했어요' is required.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Tired vs. Sleepy

{피곤|疲困}해요
No energy 기운 없음
After work 퇴근 후
졸려요
Want to sleep 자고 싶음
Heavy eyelids 눈이 무거움

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Not exactly. It means you are tired. If you have a cold or fever, use '아파요' (a-pa-yo).

피곤하다 is 'tired/fatigued.' 힘들다 is 'difficult/exhausting.' You can be 피곤해요 because the work was 힘들어요.

Only if you say it to someone older or in a higher position. With friends, it's perfectly fine.

You can say '너무 피곤해요' or '정말 피곤해요.' For more emphasis, use '진짜 피곤해요.'

Yes! You can say '인간관계가 피곤해요' to mean 'Relationships are draining/tiring.'

Yes, {疲|피} (fatigue) and {困|곤} (distress).

It becomes '피곤했어요' (pi-gon-hae-sseo-yo).

Young people often use '개피곤해' (extremely tired), but '개' is a vulgar intensifier, so use it carefully!

No, use '지루해요' for boredom.

Use '피곤합니다' (pi-gon-ham-ni-da).

Frases relacionadas

🔗

힘들다

similar

To be hard, difficult, or exhausting.

🔗

졸리다

similar

To be sleepy.

🔗

지치다

builds on

To be worn out or exhausted.

🔗

쉬고 싶다

builds on

I want to rest.

🔄

기운이 없다

synonym

To have no energy.

Dónde usarla

💼

After Work

Colleague: 오늘 일이 너무 많았죠?

You: 네, 정말 {피곤|疲困}해요. 빨리 집에 가고 싶어요.

formal
🏋️

At the Gym

Friend: 한 세트 더 할까?

You: 아니, 너무 {피곤|疲困}해. 이제 못 하겠어.

informal
📚

Late Night Study

Mom: 아직도 공부해?

You: 네, 그런데 너무 {피곤|疲困}해서 집중이 안 돼요.

neutral
🗣️

Social Burnout

Friend: 2차 갈까?

You: 미안, 오늘은 좀 {피곤|疲困}하네. 먼저 들어갈게.

informal
☀️

Morning After

Partner: 잘 잤어?

You: 아니, 잠을 설쳐서 그런지 계속 {피곤|疲困}하네.

neutral
🙄

Dealing with a Nagging Person

Sibling: (Complaining about something minor)

You: 아, 진짜 {피곤|疲困}하게 왜 그래? 그만 좀 해.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a 'Pigeon' (sounds like Pi-gon) that is too tired to fly and just wants to sleep.

Visual Association

A battery icon flashing red at 1%. The person is leaning against a wall, exactly like the Hanja character {疲|피}.

Rhyme

Work all day, no time to play, 피곤해요 (Pigonhaeyo) is what I say!

Story

After a long day at the 'Pigeon' office, the birds are so 'Pi-gon' that they can't even coo. They just sit on the wire and sigh, 'Pigon-haeyo.'

Word Web

{피로|疲勞} (fatigue){피곤|疲困}하다 (to be tired)졸리다 (to be sleepy)힘들다 (to be hard)쉬다 (to rest)잠 (sleep)에너지 (energy)

Desafío

Try saying '피곤해요' to yourself every time you feel a yawn coming coming on today. Notice if it's because you're sleepy (졸려요) or actually tired (피곤해요).

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Estoy cansado/a

Korean uses different verb endings for politeness, Spanish uses different endings for gender.

French high

Je suis fatigué(e)

French requires the subject 'Je suis,' while Korean often omits the subject '저는'.

German moderate

Ich bin müde

German 'müde' covers both 'tired' and 'sleepy,' whereas Korean separates them.

Japanese high

疲れました (Tsukaremashita)

Japanese often uses the past tense (tsukareta) to mean 'I am tired right now,' while Korean uses the present tense.

Arabic moderate

أنا تعبان (Ana ta'ban)

Arabic 'ta'ban' has a broader meaning including physical illness.

Chinese high

我很累 (Wǒ hěn lèi)

Korean uses the specific Hanja-derived word '피곤,' while Mandarin prefers '累'.

Portuguese high

Estou cansado

Portuguese lacks the complex honorific system attached to the Korean verb.

Italian high

Sono stanco

Italian uses gendered adjectives; Korean uses a single verb form.

Easily Confused

피곤해요 vs 졸려요 (jol-lyeo-yo)

Both involve low energy and wanting to close your eyes.

If you need a nap, use '졸려요.' If you just need to sit down because you worked hard, use '피곤해요.'

피곤해요 vs 지루해요 (ji-ru-hae-yo)

English speakers say 'I'm tired of this' to mean 'I'm bored.'

Use '지루해요' for a boring movie or class. Use '피곤해요' for a draining person.

Preguntas frecuentes (10)

Not exactly. It means you are tired. If you have a cold or fever, use '아파요' (a-pa-yo).

피곤하다 is 'tired/fatigued.' 힘들다 is 'difficult/exhausting.' You can be 피곤해요 because the work was 힘들어요.

Only if you say it to someone older or in a higher position. With friends, it's perfectly fine.

You can say '너무 피곤해요' or '정말 피곤해요.' For more emphasis, use '진짜 피곤해요.'

Yes! You can say '인간관계가 피곤해요' to mean 'Relationships are draining/tiring.'

Yes, {疲|피} (fatigue) and {困|곤} (distress).

It becomes '피곤했어요' (pi-gon-hae-sseo-yo).

Young people often use '개피곤해' (extremely tired), but '개' is a vulgar intensifier, so use it carefully!

No, use '지루해요' for boredom.

Use '피곤합니다' (pi-gon-ham-ni-da).

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