¿tienes sueño?
The English phrase "are you sleepy?" is translated into Spanish as ¿tienes sueño?
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone feels the need to sleep.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, ¿tienes sueño? translates to "Do you have sleep?" rather than "Are you sleepy?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb used is tener (to have). To ask if a group of people is sleepy, use ¿tienen sueño? To address someone formally, use ¿tiene sueño?
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying ¿estás sueño? While English uses the verb "to be," Spanish requires the verb tener (to have) to express this state.
When do people say it?
A natural way to respond to this question is Sí, tengo sueño (Yes, I am sleepy).
Did you know?
- The word sueño is a linguistic chameleon because it can mean both 'sleepiness' and 'a dream'. Depending on the context, a person might be saying 'I have a dream' or 'I am sleepy'.
- Spanish uses tener (to have) for many physical sensations that English describes with 'to be'. This includes being hungry tener hambre, thirsty tener sed, and cold tener frío.
- The word sueño comes from the Latin somnus, which gave English the word 'somnambulist' for a sleepwalker.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are watching a movie late at night.
- JavierLucía, ¿tienes sueño?Lucía, are you sleepy?
- LucíaSí, me estoy quedando dormida.Yes, I am falling asleep.
- Javier¿Quieres ir a la cama ya?Do you want to go to bed now?
- LucíaSí, vamos a dormir.Yes, let's go to sleep.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sueño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
