com sono
/kõ ˈsõ.nu/word by word
In Portuguese, 'sleepy' can be expressed as com sono or sonolento.
Meaning: feeling the need for sleep (adj)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| com sono | /kõ ˈsõ.nu/ (Brazil, word by word) |
| sonolento | /so.noˈlẽ.tu/ (Brazil) /su.nuˈlẽ.tu/ (Portugal) |
In everyday spoken Portuguese, com sono is much more common than the adjective sonolento to express that one wants to sleep.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase com sono literally translates to 'with sleep'.
Which one should you use?
Com sono is used to describe the temporary state of feeling sleepy, whereas sonolento can also describe a person's temperament or a physical state of drowsiness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective sonolento must agree in gender with the subject, changing to sonolenta if the subject is female. The adjective sonolento changes to sonolentos when describing a group of males or a mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
/kõ ˈsõ.nu/
Did you know?
- If you say a movie dá sono, you are not saying it 'gives sleep' in a literal sense, but rather that the movie is so boring it makes you feel sleepy.
- The word sonolento shares a common ancestor with the English word 'somnolent', which is a much more formal and rare way to say 'sleepy' in English.
Examples in context
- Tom está com sono.Tom is sleepy.This sentence shows how to state that someone is currently feeling sleepy using com sono.Tatoeba #5493813 by ajdavidl, translation #2203361 by CK
- Não está com sono?Aren't you sleepy?This is a way to ask if someone is feeling sleepy using com sono.Tatoeba #5785686 by Ricardo14, translation #322717 by CK
- Você está com sono?Are you sleepy?This is a way to ask a person if they are feeling sleepy using com sono.Tatoeba #974064 by alexmarcelo, translation #322709 by CK
- Sinto-me sonolento(a)I feel sleepy
- Estou com sonoI am sleepy
- 121 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Mariana are watching a movie late at night.
- GabrielAcho que já estou com sono.I think I'm already sleepy.
- MarianaO filme ainda não acabou, Gabriel.The movie isn't over yet, Gabriel.
- GabrielEu sei, mas estou com sono.I know, but I'm sleepy.
- MarianaTudo bem, vamos dormir então.All right, let's go to sleep then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleepy” translations and entries sonolento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (com, sono) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries com, sono, sonolento, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
