Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| تعبان | ta'ban | said by a male |
| تعبانة | ta'bana | said by a female |
A female speaker says تعبانة (ta'bana). The same word also covers feeling unwell or under the weather, not only physically exhausted.
What does it mean word for word?
تعبان/تعبانة come from تعب, 'tiredness' or 'hardship', the same root used in تعب as a verb meaning 'to get tired'.
Which one should you use?
There is no separate word for 'tired' versus 'exhausted' in everyday use, Egyptians add جدا, 'very', or خالص, 'completely', to intensify it: تعبان خالص.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
تعبان/تعبانة is used at every level of formality, it is simply how Egyptians describe their state, whether to a close friend or a doctor.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes only with the speaker's own gender: تعبان for a man, تعبانة for a woman. For a group, it becomes تعبانين (ta'baneen).
How do you pronounce it?
تعبان starts with the Arabic letter ع, a deep throat sound, said ta'-BAAN with a long final vowel.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because تعبان also means feeling unwell, saying أنا تعبان without context can make people think you are sick rather than simply exhausted. Adding a reason helps.
When do people say it?
When someone says تعبان, Egyptians often immediately ask تعبان إزاي؟, 'tired how', to check whether it means illness or simple fatigue.
Did you know?
- تعبان can mean both 'tired' and 'sick' in Egyptian Arabic, so listeners often ask a follow-up question to find out which one is meant.
- The root تعب also appears in تعب قلبه, an old expression literally meaning 'his heart grew tired', used for deep emotional strain.
Examples in context
- أنا تعبان جدا النهاردة.ana ta'ban gedan en-naharda.I am very tired today.
- تعبانة من الشغل كله.ta'bana men esh-shoghl kollo.I'm tired from all the work.
- لو تعبان، ارتاح شوية.law ta'ban, erta' shwaya.If you're tired, rest for a bit.
Example conversation
Mona asks her husband Tamer why he looks tired.
- Monaشكلك تعبان، عملت إيه؟shaklak ta'ban, amalt eh?You look tired, what did you do?
- Tamerآه، تعبان من الشغل من الصبح.aah, ta'ban men esh-shoghl men es-sobh.Yes, I'm tired from work since this morning.
- Monaخد شوية راحة بقى.khod shwayet raha ba'a.Get some rest then.
- Tamerهعمل كده، متشكر يا حبيبتي.ha'mel keda, mitshakkir ya habibti.I will, thank you, my love.
