Talking About Sleep and Tiredness in French
Say how you slept, complain about noisy neighbours and broken alarms, and plan a nap or a lie-in, in everyday casual French.
In France « faire la grasse matinée » (sleeping in) is a weekend ritual, and a short sieste after lunch is common on holidays and weekends. Night-time noise counts as tapage nocturne, mostly between 10 pm and 7 am, but the usual first step is a friendly word with the neighbours. If you sleep badly for weeks, see your GP: sleeping pills are only sold on prescription.
- 1
Je suis fatigué.
I'm tired.
Tip: Use the feminine ending if you're a woman.
- 2
J'ai mal dormi.
I slept badly.
- 3
J'ai pas fermé l'œil de la nuit.
I didn't sleep a wink all night.
- 4
Je vais me coucher.
I'm going to bed.
- 5
Je dors debout, là.
I'm dead on my feet.
- 6
T'as bien dormi ?
Did you sleep well?
- 7
Je vais faire une sieste.
I'm going to take a nap.
- 8
J'arrivais pas à m'endormir.
I couldn't get to sleep.
- 9
Le réveil a pas sonné.
The alarm didn't go off.
- 10
Je suis en retard, j'ai trop dormi.
I'm late, I overslept.
- 11
Les voisins ont fait du bruit toute la nuit.
The neighbours made noise all night.
- 12
Je me réveille à trois heures du mat' toutes les nuits.
I wake up at three in the morning every night.
- 13
Tu ronfles !
You snore!
- 14
Je suis du soir.
I'm a night owl.
- 15
Il me faut un café pour me réveiller.
I need a coffee to wake up.
- 16
Éteins la lumière, s'il te plaît.
Turn off the light, please.
- 17
Bonne nuit, dors bien !
Good night, sleep well!
- 18
T'as l'air crevé.
You look shattered.
- 19
Je me suis endormi devant la télé.
I fell asleep in front of the TV.
Tip: Use the feminine ending if you're a woman.
- 20
Demain, je fais la grasse matinée.
Tomorrow I'm having a lie-in.