寝る
neru[ne̞ɾɯ̟]
In Japanese, "going to sleep" is expressed as 寝る (neru).
The phrase refers to the act of starting to sleep or going to bed. It is important to distinguish 寝る from the phrase 横になる, which literally means "to lie down" and may or may not result in actual sleep.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 寝る is used in casual conversation with friends or family. For strangers or superiors, use the polite form 寝ます. If you need a highly respectful way to indicate that you are going to rest or sleep, use お休みになります. In very casual settings, you might also see 寝るよ used as a simple way to say "going to sleep".
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking politely, the dictionary form 寝る changes to 寝ます. If you want to express that you have already gone to sleep or have already slept, use the past tense 寝た.
How do you pronounce it?
neru
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese culture, the act of 寝る was historically associated with the direction of the head, as sleeping with the head facing the north was avoided because it was reserved for the deceased.
- Japanese has a specific word 二度寝 (nidone) which describes the act of waking up and then intentionally going back to sleep for a second time.
- In Japan, the word 寝る can also be used to describe a project or a plan that has 'fallen asleep' and is no longer being progressed.
Examples in context
- トムはソファで寝るつもりだ。Tom is going to sleep on the sofa.This sentence uses 寝る to express an intention to sleep.Tatoeba #8665408 by bunbuku, translation #7732388 by CK
- 目覚める事は寝る事の反対です。Waking up is the opposite of going to sleep.This sentence uses 寝る to show the opposite of waking up.Tatoeba #628657 by arihato, translation #479966 by kblakes
- 親が寝ろってうるさいから寝るね。I’m going to sleep now because my parents always bark at me to go to bed.This sentence uses 寝る to describe an action being taken due to parental pressure.Tatoeba #3525382 by tommy_san, translation #7910928 by User83551
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two roommates are talking in their living room late at night.
- 大翔 Hirotoもう遅いし、そろそろ寝るね。mou osoishi, sorosoro neru ne.It's late, so I'm going to sleep soon.
- 結衣 Yuiわかった。おやすみ。wakatta. oyasumi.Okay. Good night.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣も早く寝たほうがいいよ。yui mo hayaku neta hou ga ii yo.You should go to sleep early too, Yui.
- 結衣 Yuiそうだね、私もそろそろ寝る。sou dane, watashi mo sorosoro neru.You're right, I'll go to sleep soon too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 寝る, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
