assonnato
/as.sonˈna.to/
The Italian word for sleepy is assonnato. Wiktionary also lists sonnolento.
Meaning: feeling the need for sleep (adj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| assonnato | /as.sonˈna.to/ |
| sonnolento | /son.noˈlɛn.to/ |
Both assonnato and sonnolento are used to describe the feeling of needing sleep.
Which one should you use?
While assonnato is common in everyday speech, sonnolento is often used in more formal, clinical or literary contexts to describe drowsiness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the person being described. Use assonnata for a female, assonnati for a group of men or a mixed group and assonnate for a group of women.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /as.sonˈna.to/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, if you want to say you are 'sleepy' in a very colloquial way, you might skip the adjective entirely and simply say 'ho sonno', which translates to 'I have sleep'.
- In a playful or sarcastic context, assonnato can be used to describe someone who is slow to react or oblivious to what is happening around them.
- The root of sonnolento comes from the Latin somnus, which is the same root used for the English word 'somnambulist' to describe a sleepwalker.
Examples in context
- Tom non è assonnato.Tom isn't sleepy.This sentence shows how to negate the use of assonnato.Tatoeba #4247398 by Guybrush88, translation #2549239 by CK
- Dice che è assonnato.He says he's sleepy.This sentence is useful for reporting what someone says about being assonnato.Tatoeba #9964162 by Guybrush88, translation #7405765 by CH
- No, non sono assonnato.No, I'm not sleepy.This sentence is useful for denying that you are assonnato.Tatoeba #3576023 by Guybrush88, translation #35560 by spockofvulcan
- Sono un po' assopito/aI am a bit sleepy
- Sono assonnato/a dopo una giornata lungaI am sleepy after a long day
- Sono veramente stanco/a, voglio solo dormireI am really sleepy, I just want to sleep
- 194 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Giulia are watching a movie late at night.
- FrancescoGiulia, sei ancora sveglia?Giulia, are you still awake?
- GiuliaSì, ma sono molto assonnata.Yes, but I am very sleepy.
- FrancescoAnch'io sono assonnato, andiamo a dormire.I am sleepy too, let's go to sleep.
- GiuliaHai ragione, buona notte!You are right, good night!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleepy” translations and entries assonnato, sonnolento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries assonnato, sonnolento, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
