со́нный
sónnyj
The English word 'sleepy' is translated into Russian as со́нный (sónnyj). Wiktionary also lists сонли́вый (sonlívyj) and за́спанный (záspannyj).
Meaning: feeling the need for sleep (adj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| со́нный | sónnyj |
| сонли́вый | sonlívyj |
| за́спанный | záspannyj |
| дремли́вый | dremlívyj |
What does it mean word for word?
The word со́нный is derived from the noun сон, which means 'sleep'.
Which one should you use?
со́нный is the standard, common adjective used to say someone is feeling sleepy or drowsy. сонли́вый is often used to describe a person's tendency or disposition toward sleepiness, such as a child who is naturally lethargic. за́спанный and дремли́вый are also forms of the concept.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective со́нный changes its ending to match the gender and number of the noun it describes. Use со́нная when describing a feminine noun, such as a woman (женщина) or a cat (кошка) and use со́нные when describing plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
sónnyj
Did you know?
- The word сон meaning 'sleep' is also the word for 'dream', meaning the same word describes both the biological act of sleeping and the imagery seen during it.
- To say someone is 'falling asleep' or becoming sleepy, Russians use the verb засыпа́ть, which shares a root with the word for 'pouring' grain or sand.
- Russian has a specific word за́спанный to describe the look of someone who has just woken up and still has 'sleep' in their eyes.
Examples in context
- Мне кажется, что он был очень сонный на встрече.I think he was very sleepy during the meeting.
- Она всегда выглядит усталой и сонной.She always looks tired and sleepy.
- Ну, давай, отправляйся домой. Тебе явно спать хочется.Well, go home then. You clearly want to sleep.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleepy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
