estoy durmiendo
/estoi duɾmjendo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am sleeping" is translated into Spanish as estoy durmiendo.
estoy durmiendo is used to state that the speaker is currently in the act of sleeping. If you want to specifically say "I am taking a nap", you would use Me estoy echando una siesta.
Which one should you use?
While estoy durmiendo emphasizes the continuous action happening right now, the form duermo can be used to express a general habit or a state, such as "I sleep eight hours".
Did you know?
- To describe someone who is a 'heavy sleeper', Spanish uses the phrase dormir como un lirón, which means to 'sleep like a dormouse'.
- The word siesta comes from the Latin sexta hora, referring to the sixth hour of the day, which is noon.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the midday siesta is not just a nap but a socially recognized break that can influence business hours and shop closures.
Examples in context
- Dile que estoy durmiendo.Tell her that I am sleeping.This sentence is useful for illustrating how to report that you are currently sleeping.Tatoeba #1741679 by Shishir, translation #1741549 by Amastan
- Estoy durmiendo y no puedo hablar en este momento.I am sleeping and cannot talk at the moment.
- Disculpe, me encuentro durmiendo en este momento.Excuse me, I am currently sleeping.
- No me llames por teléfono ahora, estoy durmiendo la siesta.Don't call me now, I am taking a nap.
- No me despiertes, estoy durmiendo.Don't wake me up, I am sleeping.
Example conversation
Mateo answers a text message from Maria while in bed.
- Mateo¿Estás despierto, Mateo?Are you awake, Mateo?
- MaríaNo, estoy durmiendo ahora mismo.No, I am sleeping right now.
- MateoPerdón, María no sabía que era tan temprano.Sorry, María didn't know it was so early.
- MaríaNo importa, hablamos mañana.It doesn't matter, we will talk tomorrow.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
