مُتْعَب
mutʕab
The English word 'tired' can be translated into Arabic as مُتْعَب (mutʕab). Wiktionary also lists تَعْبَان (taʕbān).
Meaning: in need of rest or sleep (adj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| مُتْعَب | mutʕab |
| تَعْبَان | taʕbān |
Both forms are used to describe the state of being in need of rest or sleep.
Which one should you use?
مُتْعَب is the Modern Standard Arabic form, while تَعْبَان is a common spoken or colloquial form used in many dialects.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egypt and neighboring countries, أنا تعبان is a commonly used phrase to convey tiredness. In the Levant region, the informal phrase أنا قرفان is used to convey being fed up or worn out.
How does it change in a sentence?
Similarly, the colloquial form تَعْبَان becomes تَعْبَانَة when describing a female.
How do you pronounce it?
mutʕab
Did you know?
- While English speakers say they are 'exhausted', an Arabic speaker might use the word هلكان (halkân), which comes from a root meaning 'to perish' or 'to die'.
- The colloquial تَعْبَان (ta'baan) follows a pattern of words that describe a person's state or quality, often used to describe something as 'poor quality' or 'broken' in certain contexts.
- If you use the formal مُتْعَب (mut'ab) in a casual street setting in Cairo, you might sound like a character in a historical drama or a news broadcast.
Examples in context
- أشعر بالتعب بعد يوم عمل طويل.I feel tired after a long day of work.
- أنا مُتْعَبٌ جِدًّا الْيَوْمَ.ana mut'ab jiddan al-yawm.I am very tired today.
- الْوَلَدُ مُتْعَبٌ بَعْدَ اللَّعِبِ.al-walad mut'ab ba'da al-la'ib.The boy is tired after playing.
Example conversation
Maryam and Ahmed are talking at home in the evening.
- مريم Maryamيا أَحْمَدُ، هَلْ أَنْتَ مُتْعَبٌ؟ya ahmad, hal anta mut'ab?Ahmed, are you tired?
- أحمد Ahmedنَعَمْ، أَنَا مُتْعَبٌ جِدًّا.na'am, ana mut'ab jiddan.Yes, I am very tired.
- مريم Maryamهَلْ تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَنَامَ؟hal turidu an tanam?Do you want to sleep?
- أحمد Ahmedنَعَمْ، سَأَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْفِرَاشِ الآنَ.na'am, sa-adhhabu ila al-firash al-an.Yes, I will go to bed now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tired” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
