Meaning and Usage
The adjective '피곤하다' means to feel tired or exhausted, often physically or mentally. It is commonly used in everyday conversation to express fatigue after work, exercise, or a long day.
Common Collocations
- '피곤하다 + 아/어요' (polite present tense): Used to state that someone is tired.
- '너무 피곤하다': Emphasizes being very tired.
- '피곤해서 + verb': Shows cause and effect, e.g., '피곤해서 일찍 자요' (I'm tired, so I go to bed early).
Register and Politeness
'피곤하다' is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts by adjusting the verb endings. It is polite when used with '-아요/어요' endings.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '피곤하다' with '힘들다' (to be difficult or hard). While both can relate to tiredness, '피곤하다' specifically refers to physical or mental fatigue, whereas '힘들다' can describe difficulty or hardship more broadly.
Use '피곤하다' when you want to express feeling tired or exhausted clearly.