Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ง่วง | ngûuang | /ŋua̯ŋ˥˩/ |
| เหนื่อย | nʉ̀ai | /nɯa̯j˨˩/ |
The word ง่วง is an adjective used to describe the feeling of needing to sleep. You can also form the very common and natural phrase ง่วงนอน by adding the verb นอน (to sleep) to the end of the word.
Which one should you use?
While both terms might seem similar to English speakers, there is a clear distinction: ง่วง means specifically 'sleepy', whereas เหนื่อย means 'tired' in the sense of being physically exhausted.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that you are 'very sleepy', place the word มาก (very) after the adjective ง่วง, creating the phrase ง่วงมาก.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is ngûuang.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly use เหนื่อย to mean 'sleepy' by translating 'tired' as a synonym. In Thai, เหนื่อย refers to physical fatigue rather than the urge to sleep.
Did you know?
- The word ง่วง can be used humorously to describe a boring situation, implying the environment is so dull it is making the speaker 'sleepy'.
- While เหนื่อย refers to physical exhaustion, Thai has a separate word เพลีย for a deeper, more drained type of tiredness that can overlap with feeling 'sleepy'.
- In very casual Thai, speakers might repeat the word ง่วง as ง่วงๆ to describe a state of being dazed or half-asleep.
Examples in context
- พวกเราง่วงนอนมากในเช้าวันรุ่งขึ้นWe were very sleepy the next morning.This sentence is useful for showing how to use ง่วง to describe a state in a past context.Tatoeba #8675885 by pastelite, translation #324969 by CK
- คุณง่วงหรือยังAre you sleepy yet?This sentence is useful for asking a question about whether someone is feeling ง่วง.Tatoeba #1202544 by Vortarulo, translation #1792266 by acorn
- ตอนนี้ฉันรู้สึกง่วงมากton ni chan rue suek nguang makI feel very sleepy right now.
Example conversation
A husband and wife talking in their bedroom late at night.
- พิมล Pimonวิทวัส ง่วงหรือยังคะwit-tha-wat nguang rue yang khaAre you sleepy yet, Witthawat?
- วิทวัส Witthawatผมง่วงมากเลยครับphom nguang mak loei khrapI am very sleepy.
- พิมล Pimonงั้นเราไปนอนกันเถอะngan rao pai non kan thoeThen let's go to sleep.
- วิทวัส Witthawatครับ ฝันดีนะkhrap fan di naOkay, goodnight.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleepy” translations and entries ง่วง, เหนื่อย, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
