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How to Say ‘I'm just a bit tired’ in Portuguese

Só ando um pouco cansado

saw AHN-doo oong POH-koo kahn-SAH-doo

[saw AHN-doo oong POH-koo kahn-SAH-doo]

💬 Usage Tip: ando plus a describing word means "I've been ... lately", which is softer than estou. A woman would say ando cansada.

Phrase Breakdown

Só ando

saw AHN-doo

I'm just (lately)

'Só' means 'only/just'. 'Andar' plus an adjective means 'to have been (lately)'. Say it as 'soh ÃN-du'.

Example

Só ando triste às vezes.

I'm just sad sometimes.

Words in this phrase

Só

[saw]

just; only

Used to minimize or soften what was said, as in 'just' or 'only'.

Example

Na expressão «Era só», «só» mostra que era apenas uma confirmação.

In the expression "It was just," "só" shows that it was only a confirmation.

ando

[AHN-doo]

I've been

From 'andar'; used to describe an ongoing state lately.

Example

Ando muito cansado.

I've been very tired.

um pouco cansado

oong POH-koo kahn-SAH-doo

a bit tired

'Um pouco' means 'a little'. 'Um' is nasal, like 'oong'. 'Cansado' sounds like 'kãn-SA-du'. A woman would say 'cansada'.

Example

Estou um pouco cansado hoje.

I'm a bit tired today.

Words in this phrase

[oong]

An indefinite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Em «um» prazer, o artigo introduz a expressão educada.

In “a” pleasure, the article introduces the polite expression.

pouco

[POH-koo]

little; a bit

Used to indicate a small amount of something.

Example

Só um pouco de açúcar, por favor.

Just a little sugar, please.

cansado

[kahn-SAH-doo]

tired

Adjective, masculine form; feminine is 'cansada'.

Example

Estou cansado hoje.

I'm tired today.

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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