niña, vete a dormir
The English phrase "girl, go to sleep" is translated into Spanish as niña, vete a dormir.
This phrase is used as a command directed at a young girl to tell her to go to bed for the night.
Which one should you use?
Using the reflexive vete suggests the action of 'going away' to sleep, whereas the non-reflexive ve simply means 'go' to sleep. Additionally, the expression ¡A dormir, niña! is a common and more natural way for speakers to tell a child it is time for bed.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form vete is the informal (tú) imperative form of the reflexive verb irse. If you use the non-reflexive imperative ve instead of vete, the meaning shifts slightly from 'go away to sleep' to simply 'go to sleep'.
Did you know?
- In some regions, the phrase vete a dormir can be used idiomatically to tell an adult they are talking nonsense or acting delusional, similar to saying 'go back to bed'.
- In many Spanish-speaking households, instead of using the subject 'niña', parents often use the diminutive niñita to make the command sound more affectionate and less like a harsh order.
- The verb dormir shares a common ancestor with the English word 'dormitory', as both stem from the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to sleep'.
Examples in context
- Niña, ve a dormir.Girl, go to sleep
- ¡Niña, vete a dormir!Girl, go to sleep!
Example conversation
Daniel is putting his daughter María to bed.
- DanielEs hora de descansar, niña, vete a dormir.It is time to rest, girl, go to sleep.
- MaríaSolo cinco minutos más, papá.Just five more minutes, Dad.
- DanielNo más minutos, María, vete a dormir.No more minutes, María, go to sleep.
- MaríaEstá bien, ya me duermo.Alright, I am going to sleep now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, dormir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
