Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| exhausto | /eɡˈsausto/ |
| agotado | /aɡoˈtado/ |
Both terms describe being very tired. However, agotado can describe both a person's physical state and the state of an object that is worn out or no longer functional. It is also frequently used to describe resources or supplies being depleted, such as water or money.
Which one should you use?
While both exhausto and agotado mean very tired, agotado is more frequently used to describe resources or supplies being depleted, such as water or money.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the word molido/a is commonly used to indicate extreme tiredness.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, the word must agree in gender and number with the subject. Use agotada if the person being described is female, and use agotados for a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
/aɡoˈtado/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word molido for 'exhausted' literally means 'ground', as in coffee or pepper, implying the person has been crushed by fatigue.
- If you want to say you are 'exhausted' in a very colloquial way in Mexico, you might say estoy muerto, which literally translates to 'I am dead'.
- The word agotado comes from the verb agotar, which originally referred to the act of draining a liquid until the container was empty.
Examples in context
- Estoy exhausto ahora mismo.I'm exhausted right now.This sentence is useful for stating your current state of exhaustion using exhausto.Tatoeba #5187372 by radu107, translation #5187243 by CK
- ¿Por qué estás tan agotado?Why are you so exhausted?This sentence is useful for asking someone why they are so exhausted using agotado.Tatoeba #7726618 by arh, translation #7716696 by CK
- Su paciencia se ha agotado.Her patience has been exhausted.This sentence is useful for describing how a resource like patience has been depleted using agotado.Tatoeba #9963520 by manufrutos, translation #9963491 by AlanF_US
- Después de la larga reunión, me siento agotado/a.After the long meeting, I feel exhausted.
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking at home after a long work day.
- Lucía¿Cómo fue tu día en la oficina, Mateo?How was your day at the office, Mateo?
- MateoFue muy largo y ahora estoy agotado.It was very long and now I am exhausted.
- LucíaTe entiendo, yo también estoy agotada.I understand you, I am exhausted too.
- MateoVamos a descansar un poco.Let's rest a little.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “exhausted” translations and entries exhausto, agotado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries agotado, exhausto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
