je suis tellement fatigué
The English phrase "I am so tired" is translated into French as je suis tellement fatigué.
This phrase is used to express that a person feels a great deal of exhaustion. The adjective fatigué means tired, and you can use it with modifiers to change the intensity. For example, assez means quite, so Je suis assez fatigué(e) means "I am quite tired," while vraiment means truly or really, making Je suis vraiment épuisé(e) mean "I am really exhausted." To express being "washed out," you might say Je suis lessivé(e) or to say you are "wiped out" or "drained," you can use Je suis éreinté(e). You can also say Je suis vidé(e) which literally means "I am emptied" and indicates being mentally or physically depleted.
Which one should you use?
While tellement translates to "so" (often implying a consequence, such as being "so tired that…"), the word très is the standard way to say "very tired" (je suis très fatigué).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes based on the gender of the speaker. If the speaker is female, the adjective must take an extra e at the end, such as in je suis tellement fatiguée.
Did you know?
- In casual spoken French, the je suis part of the phrase is often shortened or blurred, making the sentence sound like 'shuis' or 'chuis' to an English ear.
- French has a specific word for being completely worn out, éreinté, which originally referred to the exhaustion of a horse after a long journey.
- The word suis in je suis has a strange history. It was shaped by the Latin verb fuī, which means 'I was', rather than the expected form from the Latin 'sum' for 'I am'.
Examples in context
- Je suis tellement fatigué que je ne peux pas étudier.I am so tired that I can't study.This sentence is useful for showing the consequence of being tired.Tatoeba #134742 by Aiji, translation #255257 by CK
- Je suis tellement fatigué que je peux à peine marcher.I am so tired that I can hardly walk.Tatoeba #6940 by sysko, translation #255482 by CK
- Je suis tellement fatigué après cette journée.I am so tired after this day.
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are relaxing at home in the evening.
- NathanJe suis tellement fatigué ce soir.I am so tired this evening.
- LéaMoi aussi, je suis épuisée.Me too, I am exhausted.
- NathanTu veux commander quelque chose à manger ?Do you want to order something to eat?
- LéaOui, bonne idée, Nathan.Yes, good idea, Nathan.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, suis, tellement, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
