What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the reflexive pronoun me (myself), the preterite of irse (to go away/leave), the preposition a (to) and the infinitive dormir (to sleep). Literally, it means "I went myself to sleep".
Which one should you use?
While me fui a dormir emphasizes the action of going to bed or the decision to go to sleep, me dormí focuses on the moment of actually falling asleep (often unintentionally).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase Me fui a la cama is frequently used to mean "I went to bed" or "I went to sleep". In Mexico, you may hear the informal expressions Me eché a dormir or Me eché un sueñito to convey the idea of going to sleep.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "you went to sleep" (informal singular), change the pronoun and verb conjugation to te fuiste a dormir.
When do people say it?
Me metí a la cama is an informal way to convey the idea of going to sleep.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers often use the phrase estoy frito, which literally means 'I am fried', as a slang way to say they have completely fallen asleep or are exhausted.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the concept of 'going to sleep' is often linked to the siesta, a short midday nap that is a deeply ingrained social and historical custom rather than just a personal choice.
- The word dormir shares a common ancestor with the English word 'dormitory'. Both originate from the Proto-Indo-European root *drem-, meaning 'to sleep'.
Examples in context
- Me fui a dormir a la una.I went to sleep at one o'clock.This sentence is useful for specifying the time you went to sleep using me fui a dormir.Tatoeba #4998764 by don_ramon, translation #10072565 by espamatics
- Me fui a dormir sobre las diez.I went to sleep about 10 o'clock.This sentence is useful for expressing an approximate time you went to sleep using me fui a dormir.Tatoeba #2465701 by teskmon, translation #252404 by CK
- Como ya era tarde, me fui a dormir.Since it was already late, I went to sleep.This sentence is useful for explaining that you went to sleep because it was late using me fui a dormir.Tatoeba #1535143 by marcelostockle, translation #1531045 by erikspen
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about their schedules.
- MaríaAyer estaba muy cansada.I was very tired yesterday.
- Daniel¿A qué hora te acostaste?What time did you go to bed?
- MaríaMe fui a dormir temprano.I went to sleep early.
- DanielEso es muy saludable, María.That is very healthy, María.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, dormir, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
