Exausto vs. esgotado
Both exausto and esgotado can be translated as exhausted or very tired in English, but they have subtle differences in their specific nuances. While exausto is primarily used to describe extreme physical or mental tiredness, esgotado carries the deeper, literal meaning of being completely drained, depleted, or burnt out, leaving absolutely no energy in reserve.
Exausto
B1The word exausto is the most direct translation for exhausted when referring to extreme physical or mental tiredness. It is used when a person or animal is very tired after a specific activity, a long day, or a heavy effort. It focuses purely on the heavy burden of fatigue rather than the complete depletion of inner resources.
Eu corri dez quilômetros hoje de manhã e estou exausto.
(I ran ten kilometers this morning and I am exhausted.)
Eles chegaram exaustos depois de uma longa viagem de trem.
(They arrived exhausted after a long train trip.)
A médica de plantão ficou exausta após trabalhar vinte e quatro horas seguidas.
(The doctor on call was exhausted after working twenty-four hours straight.)
Nós nos sentimos exaustos apenas de olhar para o tamanho daquela montanha.
(We felt exhausted just looking at the size of that mountain.)
O cachorro adormeceu no tapete da sala porque estava exausto de tanto brincar no parque.
(The dog fell asleep on the living room rug because he was exhausted from playing so much at the park.)
Meu filho chorou a noite toda por causa dos dentes e agora estou exausto.
(My son cried all night because of his teeth and now I am exhausted.)
Esgotado
B2The word esgotado also implies being exhausted, but it derives from the verb esgotar, which means to empty or deplete. When applied to someone's tiredness, it implies a deep burnout, a total loss of physical or emotional reserves, or a state where a person has absolutely nothing left to give.
Tenho trabalhado sem folgas há um mês e me sinto mentalmente esgotado.
(I have been working without days off for a month and I feel mentally exhausted.)
A paciência da professora com aquela turma difícil está completamente esgotada.
(The teacher's patience with that difficult class is completely exhausted.)
Minhas forças estão esgotadas e não consigo dar mais nenhum passo hoje.
(My strength is exhausted and I cannot take another step today.)
Ela precisou tirar férias porque estava emocionalmente esgotada com os problemas familiares.
(She needed to take a vacation because she was emotionally exhausted with family problems.)
Os atletas terminaram a longa temporada do campeonato esgotados e precisando de repouso absoluto.
(The athletes finished the long championship season exhausted and needing absolute rest.)
Cuidar de três crianças pequenas sozinha durante a pandemia a deixou esgotada.
(Taking care of three small children by herself during the pandemic left her exhausted.)
Summary
In short, use exausto to express that you feel very tired after a hard effort or a long day. Choose esgotado when you want to emphasize that your energy, patience, or physical reserves are entirely depleted, often indicating a state of deep burnout or being totally drained.