irse a dormir
/iɾse a doɾmiɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "going to sleep" is translated into Spanish as irse a dormir.
irse a dormir is used to describe the act of going to bed in order to sleep. While the verb dormir refers to the state of being asleep, irse a dormir specifically emphasizes the transition or the act of heading to bed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the reflexive verb irse (to go away/leave) and the prepositional phrase a dormir (to sleep), which literally translates to "to go oneself to sleep".
How does it change in a sentence?
When conjugated for the first person singular, the reflexive pronoun me is used, as in me voy a dormir (I am going to sleep). When conjugated for the third person singular, the reflexive pronoun se moves to the front of the verb, as in se va a dormir (he/she/it is going to sleep).
How do you pronounce it?
/iɾse a doɾmiɾ/
Did you know?
- While irse a dormir is common, Spanish speakers often use irse a la cama 'to go to bed'. In some contexts, the latter can be a euphemism for having sex.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, people do not go to sleep immediately after dinner. It is common to stay up late and use the phrase trasnochar for the act of staying awake until the early morning.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, dormir can be used colloquially to mean 'to ignore' or 'to put something on hold', as in dormir un proyecto.
Examples in context
- Después de un largo día de trabajo, me voy a dormir temprano.After a long day of work, I'm going to sleep early.
- Estoy muy cansado, así que me voy a echar una siesta.I'm very tired, so I'm going to take a nap.
- Es hora de irse a dormir para descansar.It is time to go to sleep to rest.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
