ensueño diurno
/ensweɲo djuɾno/from spelling rulesmasculine
The English phrase 'daydream' can be translated into Spanish as ensueño diurno. If unsure, use ensueño diurno. Wiktionary also lists ensueño despierto.
Meaning: a spontaneous and fanciful series of thoughts (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ensueño diurno | /ensweɲo djuɾno/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| ensueño despierto | /ensweɲo despjeɾto/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
A daydream is a spontaneous and fanciful series of thoughts. To express the act of daydreaming, you can use the verb soñar despierto, the verb fantasear if the thoughts are focused on specific fantasies or desires or the idiomatic expression pensar en la inmortalidad del cangrejo to describe someone who is lost in idle or nonsensical thoughts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb fantasear is used to mean daydreaming specifically when the thoughts are centered on fantasies or desires.
How do you pronounce it?
/ensweɲo djuɾno/
Did you know?
- The phrase pensar en la inmortalidad del cangrejo literally translates to 'thinking about the immortality of the crab'. It is used to describe someone who is daydreaming about nonsense or pointless things.
- The word ensueño is a linguistic relative of the word 'insomnia'. Both share a root connecting them to the Latin word for 'sleep'.
- The term ensueño can be used to describe a place or situation that feels like a dream, shifting from a mental action to a descriptive quality of reality.
Examples in context
- La ensoñación es una actividad creativa que nos permite explorar mundos imaginarios.Daydreaming is a creative activity that allows us to explore imaginary worlds.
- Me perdí en un devaneo mientras miraba las olas romper en la playa.I got lost in a daydream while watching the waves crash at the beach.
- Desde niño, siempre he tenido la habilidad de soñar despierto y crear historias en mi mente.Since I was a child, I've always had the ability to daydream and create stories in my mind.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in the office.
- JavierMaría, ¿estás escuchando la reunión?María, are you listening to the meeting?
- MaríaLo siento, Javier, tuve un ensueño diurno.I'm sorry, Javier, I had a daydream.
- Javier¿En qué estabas pensando?What were you thinking about?
- MaríaEstaba imaginando mis vacaciones en la playa.I was imagining my vacation at the beach.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daydream” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries despierto, diurno, ensueño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
