Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| agotamiento | /aɡotaˈmjento/ | masculine |
| surmenage | /suɾmeˈnaʃ/ /suɾmeˈnaʒ/ |
masculine, rare |
agotamiento can mean general exhaustion, but in a work context it is the standard way to talk about burnout. For burnout tied to a job, Desgaste profesional is also used and the medical or psychological term is Síndrome de agotamiento ocupacional.
What does it mean word for word?
agotamiento comes from the verb agotar, meaning to exhaust or to run out of.
Which one should you use?
agotamiento is the common word. surmenage is much rarer and sounds more technical or dated.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
surmenage is rare and mostly found in medical or psychological texts.
How does it change in a sentence?
agotamiento is a masculine noun. To say a person is burned out, use estar agotado. For a woman the adjective ends in a instead of o.
How do you pronounce it?
agotamiento is pronounced /aɡotaˈmjento/, with the stress on the syllable before last.
Did you know?
- The verb agotar used in agotamiento also means 'to sell out' when referring to tickets or products in a store.
- While agotamiento implies a state of being empty, the phrase desgaste profesional describes burnout as a physical erosion. It treats the human psyche like a piece of machinery or a tool that has worn down through friction.
- In Spanish, you can describe a dead battery as agotada, using the same root as agotamiento. This frames both burnout and a dead phone as the same phenomenon of a resource being completely spent.
Examples in context
- Estoy experimentando un agotamiento debido a la carga de trabajo.I am experiencing exhaustion due to the workload.
- Necesito tomarme un descanso por el desgaste profesional que he experimentado.I need to take a break because of the professional burnout I have experienced.
- Mi médico me ha diagnosticado con el síndrome de agotamiento ocupacional.My doctor has diagnosed me with occupational burnout syndrome.
- Estoy sufriendo de cansancio extremo, no puedo continuar así.I am suffering from extreme tiredness, I cannot continue like this.
- Estoy completamente quemado por el trabajo y necesito un descanso.I am completely burned out from work and I need a break.
- El agotamiento es un problema serio.Burnout is a serious problem.
- Siente un agotamiento mental constante.He feels a constant mental exhaustion.
- Necesito descansar por este agotamiento.I need to rest because of this burnout.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking during a coffee break.
- JavierMaría, te ves muy cansada hoy.María, you look very tired today.
- MaríaSí, creo que tengo un agotamiento crónico.Yes, I think I have chronic burnout.
- JavierDeberías hablar con el jefe pronto.You should talk to the boss soon.
- MaríaTienes razón, necesito un descanso.You are right, I need a break.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “burnout” translations and entries agotamiento, surmenage, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
