أنا تعبان جدا
'anā ta'bān jiddan
The English phrase "I am so tired" is expressed in Arabic as أنا تعبان جدا ('anā ta'bān jiddan).
This phrase is used to state that a person feels a great lack of energy or requires rest.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of anā (I), ta'bān (tired) and jiddan (very).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes based on the gender of the speaker. The default form ta'bān is the masculine form used by male speakers. If the speaker is female, the phrase must change to the feminine form أنا تعبانة جدا ('anā ta'bāna jiddan).
How do you pronounce it?
'anā ta'bān jiddan
Did you know?
- In many Arabic dialects, the word تعبان (ta'bān) is not just for people, but can describe a crumbling building or a worn out piece of furniture.
- While English uses 'tired' for both exhaustion and frustration, Arabic uses تعبان (ta'bān) for energy loss and ملّ (malla) for being tired of a person or situation.
- The word for 'I' أنا (anā) is a linguistic relative of the Hebrew word אני (aní) and the Amharic word እኔ (enē).
Examples in context
- أنا تعبان جدا من العمل.ana ta'ban jiddan min al-'amal.I am so tired from work.
Example conversation
Yusuf arrives home after a long day.
- يوسف Youssefمرحباً سارة، أنا تعبان جدا اليوم.Marhaban Sarah, ana ta'ban jiddan al-yawm.Hello Sarah, I am so tired today.
- سارة Saraهل كان يومك شاقاً يا يوسف؟Hal kana yawmuka shaqqan ya Yusuf?Was your day hard, Yusuf?
- يوسف Youssefنعم، كان لدي الكثير من الاجتماعات.Na'am, kana ladayya al-kathir min al-ijtima'at.Yes, I had a lot of meetings.
- سارة Saraاذهب وارتح قليلاً الآن.Idhhab wa-irtah qalilan al-an.Go and rest a bit now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries أنا, جدا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
