schlafen gehen
In German, the phrase for "go to sleep" is schlafen gehen.
schlafen gehen is used to describe the act of going to bed with the intention of sleeping. It is often used as an alternative to ins Bett gehen, which means "to go into the bed".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb schlafen (to sleep) and gehen (to go).
Which one should you use?
Do not confuse schlafen gehen with einschlafen. While schlafen gehen refers to the act of going to bed to sleep, einschlafen refers specifically to the moment of transitioning from being awake to being asleep.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using this phrase in the perfect tense, the past participle is formed by using the participle of gehen (gegangen) and the infinitive schlafen, resulting in schlafen gegangen.
Did you know?
- The spelling of gehen contains an 'h' that was only added later by analogy with the verb sehen, even though the 'h' is silent.
- In some German dialects, such as Bavarian, the verb 'to go' can appear in forms like gēn, differing from the standard gehen.
- The German verb schlafen and the English word 'sleep' are cognates, meaning they both evolved from the same ancient Proto-West Germanic source.
Examples in context
- Lass uns schlafen gehen.Let's go to sleep.This sentence is useful for suggesting the action to a group using schlafen gehen.Tatoeba #2210143 by Espi, translation #2007823 by CK
- Wir sollten schlafen gehen.We should go to sleep.This sentence is useful for expressing an obligation using schlafen gehen.Tatoeba #4426833 by Dokuyaku, translation #4426570 by Serafin
- Tom, ich will schlafen gehen.Tom, I want to go to sleep.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal desire using schlafen gehen.Tatoeba #1923368 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1923307 by Spamster
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet living room late at night.
- MaximilianEs ist schon spät, Sarah.It is already late, Sarah.
- SarahJa, ich möchte jetzt schlafen gehen.Yes, I want to go to sleep now.
- MaximilianSoll ich das Licht ausmachen?Should I turn off the light?
- SarahJa, danke, Maximilian.Yes, thank you, Maximilian.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gehen, schlafen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
