피곤하다
pigonhada[pʰiɡo̞nɦa̠da̠]
The English word 'tired' is expressed in Korean as 피곤하다 (pigonhada).
피곤하다 is a straightforward and general way to say one is tired. It is primarily used to describe a state of physical or mental fatigue, often resulting from overwork or a lack of sleep. To convey a sense of strong fatigue, you can add 너무 before the informal form 피곤해.
Meaning: in need of rest or sleep (adj)
Which one should you use?
While 피곤하다 refers to a general feeling of needing rest, the verb 지치다 is used specifically when one is physically or mentally exhausted or 'spent'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual speech with friends or those younger than you, the dictionary form 피곤하다 changes to the informal 피곤해. In polite conversation, the form is changed to 피곤해요.
How do you pronounce it?
pigonhada
Did you know?
- If you use the term 녹초가 되다, you are saying you have become a 'melted candle', meaning you are completely exhausted.
- Koreans may use the word 나른하다 instead of 피곤하다 to describe a specific kind of 'tired' that feels like a heavy, lazy drowsiness, often felt in spring.
- The root of 피곤하다 comes from Chinese characters where 피 means 'fatigue' and 곤 means 'exhausted' or 'difficult'.
Examples in context
- 나는 피곤하다.I am tired.This is useful for stating 'I am tired' using 피곤하다.
- 그들은 피곤하다.They're tired.This is useful for stating 'They're tired' using 피곤하다.Tatoeba #2881613 by cueyayotl, translation #2111236 by CK
Example conversation
Subin and Dohyun are talking after a long day of work.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨, 많이 피곤하다 보여요.Dohyun ssi, mani pigonhada boyeoyo.Dohyun, you look very tired.
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 정말 피곤하다.ne, jeongmal pigonhada.Yes, I really am tired.
- 수빈 Su-bin집에 가서 빨리 쉬세요.jibe gaseo ppalli swiseyo.Go home and get some rest quickly.
- 도현 Do-hyeon고마워요, 수빈 씨.gomawoyo, Subin ssi.Thank you, Subin.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 피곤하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 피곤하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
