Provençal expression

Èstre bèn fatiga

Work

Literal translation

to be well tired

Meaning

to be utterly exhausted

Explanation

This phrase means 'to be utterly exhausted', beyond mere passing tiredness. The adverb 'bèn' (well) intensifies the adjective 'fatiga' (tired) to mark an extreme degree of physical or nervous weariness, much as English uses 'thoroughly tired' or 'completely worn out' to go beyond the plain sense of the adjective alone. The verb 'to be', here in its infinitive form, is conjugated normally for the subject in actual use. The expression belongs to everyday register and comes up in every context of daily life, particularly around physical, farm, or household work, where extreme tiredness after a long day of effort is a frequent topic of conversation. It carries no particular image beyond its literal sense, making it less a figurative expression than an ordinary intensifying turn of phrase, but it is worth recording for the exact force of the intensifier 'bèn' in this precise context, which goes well beyond a polite 'fairly tired'.

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Other expressions on the same theme

Èstre santounto be slow, sluggish Faire pu lèu un tour que dousto be slow, sluggish Forces pas !don't strain yourself La matinado fa la jornadothe bulk of the day's work gets done in the morning Li a de grame à triathere's a lot of work still to sort out Pèr tasta lei figo fau manda la manto get what you want, you must dare and take risks