somna
The English phrase go to sleep is translated into Swedish as somna.
somna is used to describe the act of falling into a state of sleep.
How does it change in a sentence?
somna is an intransitive verb, which means it does not take a direct object in a sentence.
Did you know?
- If someone is very tired and falls asleep unintentionally, a Swede might say they 'slockna', a word often used for a fire being extinguished or a light going out.
- The spelling of somna is the result of an ancient sound shift where the combination fn changed into mn. This is why the word namn meaning 'name' is spelled with an 'm' despite its Old Norse origin nafn.
- The suffix in somna is an 'inchoative', a grammatical term for a verb that describes the beginning of a state, much like how 'ripen' describes the beginning of being ripe.
Examples in context
- Jag vill somna.I want to go to sleep.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal desire to somna.Tatoeba #10825517 by morbrorper, translation #2011674 by CK
- Jag somnade inte.I didn't go to sleep.This sentence shows how to use somna in the negative past tense.Tatoeba #10125852 by morbrorper, translation #2275855 by CK
- Jag behöver somna.I need to go to sleep.This sentence shows how to express a necessity to somna.Tatoeba #10825515 by morbrorper, translation #2047094 by MarlonX19
- Gå och lägg dig nu, det är sent.Go to sleep now, it's late.
- Är du trött? Gå och sov!Are you tired? Go to sleep!
- Lägg dig tidigt ikväll.Go to bed early tonight.
- Tid att gå till sängs. Ha en trevlig kväll!Time to go to bed. Have a pleasant evening!
Example conversation
Emma and Oscar are tired after a long day.
- EmmaJag är så trött att jag snart kommer somna.I am so tired that I will fall asleep soon.
- OscarSka du gå och lägga dig nu?Are you going to bed now?
- EmmaJa, jag hoppas att jag kan somna snabbt.Yes, I hope I can fall asleep quickly.
- OscarGod natt, Emma.Good night, Emma.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries somna, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
