Spanish · Emotions & Descriptions
"Tired" in Spanish: cansado/a
cansado/a
Tired is cansado for masculine and cansada for feminine. Match yourself: estoy cansado or estoy cansada. Use estar, not ser, for temporary tiredness.
After work
Estoy cansado. Voy a dormir.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce cansado/a
Say it
kahn-SAH-doh / kahn-SAH-dah
/kanˈsado/
kahn-SAH-doh / kahn-SAH-dah. Stress SAH. Keep cansado steady on the middle syllable.
"Tired" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| cansado / cansada | tired Default adjective; agree with the person. | Default adjective; agree with the person. |
| cansado de | tired of Fed up: cansado de esperar. | Fed up: cansado de esperar. |
| agotado / agotada | exhausted Stronger than cansado. | Stronger than cansado. |
| hecho polvo | wiped out Casual exaggeration after a long day. | Casual exaggeration after a long day. |
How to use cansado/a in real life
- 1After work
Estoy cansado. Voy a dormir.
I'm tired. I'm going to sleep.
Cansado matches a masculine speaker.
- 2Checking on a friend
¿Estás cansada después del viaje?
Are you tired after the trip?
Cansada matches a feminine listener.
- 3About kids
Los niños están cansados ya.
The kids are tired already.
Cansados is the masculine plural default.
Mistakes English speakers make with cansado/a
Incorrect: Estoy cansada. (said by a man about himself)
Correct: Estoy cansado.
Match your own gender: cansado or cansada.
Incorrect: Soy cansado ahora.
Correct: Estoy cansado ahora.
Temporary tiredness takes estar cansado, not ser.
Good to know
Saying estoy cansado is honest and common, not dramatic. Friends may answer estoy cansado with descansa un poco. Naming cansado early helps you leave without a long excuse.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Leaving the office together
ChatPal
Pareces cansado. ¿Caminamos despacio?
You look tired. Shall we walk slowly?
You
Sí, estoy cansado. Fue un día largo.
Yes, I'm tired. It was a long day.
ChatPal
Yo también estoy cansada de la reunión.
I'm tired from the meeting too.
You
Entonces vamos directo a casa.
Then let's go straight home.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Tired" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Tired" in Spanish
Cansado or cansada?
Cansado if you present as masculine, cansada if feminine. Groups: cansados or cansadas.
Ser or estar with cansado?
Use estar cansado for how you feel now. Ser cansado is rare and odd here.
How do I say tired of waiting?
Estoy cansado de esperar or estoy cansada de esperar.
What is stronger than cansado?
Agotado/agotada is stronger than cansado after a hard day.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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