너무 피곤해요
Neomu pigonhaeyo
In Korean, "I am so tired" is expressed as 너무 피곤해요 (Neomu pigonhaeyo).
This phrase is used to express that a person feels a great need for sleep or rest.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 너무, which means "too much" or "so" and 피곤해요, which means "am tired".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 너무 피곤해요 uses a polite ending suitable for most everyday social situations with strangers or acquaintances. For highly formal settings, such as a business presentation or a military context, use 너무 피곤합니다. In casual speech with friends or people younger than you, you can use the informal form 너무 피곤해.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 너무 피곤해요 uses the polite ending –해요.
How do you pronounce it?
Neomu pigonhaeyo
Did you know?
- If you want to sound more dramatic or physically drained, you might say 죽을 것 같아요 (I feel like I am going to die) instead of just saying you are tired.
- While 너무 originally only described negative extremes, it is now common in modern Korean to use it for positive things, such as saying someone is 너무 beautiful.
- The word 너무 originally meant 'to surpass' or 'to exceed'. It was derived from the verb 넘다 which means 'to cross over' a boundary.
Examples in context
- 너무 피곤해요.neomu pigonhaeyo.I am so tired.
- 어제 일을 많이 해서 너무 피곤해요.eoje ireul mani haeseo neomu pigonhaeyo.I am so tired because I worked a lot yesterday.
- 지금 너무 피곤해요.jigeum neomu pigonhaeyo.I am so tired right now.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Subin are talking on the phone late at night.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수빈 씨, 아직 안 자요?Subin ssi, ajik an jayo?Subin, are you not sleeping yet?
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 그런데 너무 피곤해요.Ne, geureonde neomu pigonhaeyo.Yes, but I am so tired.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo얼른 가서 쉬세요.Eolleun gaseo swiseyo.Please go and rest quickly.
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 현우 씨도 잘 자요.Ne, Hyunwoo ssi do jal jayo.Yes, sleep well too, Hyunwoo.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 너무, CC BY-SA 4.0.
