dormí una siesta
/doɾmi una sjesta/from spelling rules
To say "I took a nap" in Spanish, you say dormí una siesta.
This phrase is used to communicate that you slept for a short period of time, which is typically during the day.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from the verb dormir (to sleep) and the noun siesta (nap), literally translating to "I slept a nap".
Which one should you use?
While dormí una siesta is a standard way to express this, you may also see Tomé una siesta used to mean "I took a nap". If you want to express that you had a very brief sleep, you can use Me eché una cabezadita, which translates to "I took a short doze".
Did you know?
- In some regions, you might hear people say they pegaron un sueño, which translates literally to 'hitting a sleep'.
- The word siesta is actually a measurement of time, originating from the Latin word for the 'sixth hour' of the day, which corresponds to noon.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the siesta is not just a phrase for a nap, but a deeply ingrained social custom where businesses often close for several hours in the afternoon.
Examples in context
- Dormí una siesta después de comer.I took a nap after eating.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are meeting for coffee in the afternoon.
- MateoHola Sofía, ¿cómo estás?Hi Sofía, how are you?
- SofíaEstoy bien, pero tengo un poco de sueño.I'm fine, but I'm a little sleepy.
- MateoYo estoy muy activo porque dormí una siesta.I am very active because I took a nap.
- SofíaQué suerte, yo no pude descansar.How lucky, I couldn't rest.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries siesta, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
