01
schläfrig
sleepy
Having a feeling of tiredness and the need to sleep; drowsy.
example
Nach dem schweren Mittagessen wurde ich am Schreibtisch ganz schläfrig.
After the heavy lunch, I got quite sleepy at my desk.
schläfrig
sleepy
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'schläfrig' (sleepy) is derived directly from the noun 'der Schlaf' (sleep). It describes the feeling you have when you are just about to fall asleep.
EXAMPLE
Ein warmes Bad am Abend macht mich immer angenehm schläfrig.
A warm bath in the evening always makes me pleasantly sleepy.
Sentence structure and usage
'Schläfrig' (sleepy) is very often used with the verbs 'sein' (to be) and 'werden' (to become/get) to describe the state or the beginning of the state. Another typical construction is 'jemanden schläfrig machen' (to make someone sleepy).
EXAMPLE
Ich bin nach der langen Wanderung sehr schläfrig.
I am very sleepy after the long hike.
Typical collocations
In the figurative meaning, 'schläfrig' (sleepy) is used almost exclusively for places. Typical combinations are 'ein schläfriges Dorf' (a sleepy village), 'eine schläfrige Kleinstadt' (a sleepy small town), or 'ein schläfriges Nest' (a sleepy little place).
EXAMPLE
Er wuchs in einem schläfrigen Dorf auf, in dem jeder jeden kannte.
He grew up in a sleepy village where everyone knew everyone.
Compare with
schläfrig vs müde
tired
'müde' and 'schläfrig' are very close because both have to do with wanting to sleep. 'müde' is the more general word: you can be physically or mentally exhausted and need rest. 'schläfrig' sounds more like the direct feeling of being about to fall asleep or already almost dozing off. So you can be 'müde' without immediately being 'schläfrig', for example after a long day of work. It is easy to mix up the words, but as a simple guide: 'müde' is more general, while 'schläfrig' is closer to falling asleep.
schläfrig
Nach der langen Zugfahrt sitzen wir schläfrig im Hotelzimmer.
After the long train journey, we sit sleepily in the hotel room.
müde
Am Montagmorgen war die ganze Familie noch müde.
On Monday morning, the whole family was still tired.
In real life
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