Saying you are worn out
Conversation phrases, Stage 1chunk 54 of 68Feelings and empathy
Lets you say how tired you are when someone asks how you are.
- tsukaretaI'm tired
- nemurenakattaI couldn't sleep
- mou genkaiI'm at my limit
Mix-ups nemurenakatta (couldn't sleep) is not nemui (sleepy).
tsukareta
polite tsukaremashita
I'm tired
Past tense because it describes how you feel now; often a sigh at the end of the day.
Related: otsukare, the 'good work' greeting at the end of a job or day.
aa, tsukareta. kyou wa hayaku neyou.
Ugh, I'm tired. I'm going to bed early tonight.
ああ、疲れた。今日は早く寝よう。
kyou wa chotto tsukaremashita. hayaku nemasu.
I'm a bit tired today. I'll go to bed early.
今日はちょっと疲れました。早く寝ます。
Written 疲れた · つかれた · 疲れましたWho you say itHeard 528× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
nemurenakatta
polite nemuremasen deshita
I couldn't sleep
Explains why you're tired or out of it today.
nerarenakatta means the same and is just as common.
kinou zenzen nemurenakatta. ima sugoku nemui.
I couldn't sleep at all last night. I'm so sleepy now.
昨日全然眠れなかった。今すごく眠い。
kinou wa amari nemuremasen deshita.
I didn't sleep very well last night.
昨日はあまり眠れませんでした。
Written 眠れなかった · ねむれなかった · 眠れませんでしたWho you say itHeard 81× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
mou genkai
polite mou genkai desu
I'm at my limit
Said when tiredness, stress or patience has run out; heavier than mou muri.
genkai is 'limit'; you'll hear it about overtime and deadlines too.
nemukute mou genkai. saki ni neru ne.
I'm too sleepy to keep going. I'm heading to bed.
眠くてもう限界。先に寝るね。
nemukute mou genkai desu. saki ni yasumimasu.
I'm too sleepy to go on. I'll turn in first.
眠くてもう限界です。先に休みます。
Written もう限界 · もうげんかい · もう限界ですWho you say itHeard 70× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles