acostarse
/akosˈtaɾse/
The English phrase 'lie down' is translated into Spanish as acostarse.
Acostarse specifically refers to the act of going to bed or lying down to rest, whereas tumbarse is often used for the physical act of reclining or lying down anywhere.
Meaning: assume a horizontal position (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
Acostarse is a reflexive verb. This means that when you conjugate it, you must use reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se). For example, the first-person singular present indicative form is me acuesto (I lie down).
How do you pronounce it?
/akosˈtaɾse/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to use acostar without a reflexive pronoun. Using acostar alone means you are putting someone else to bed rather than lying yourself down.
Did you know?
- The word costa refers to a 'coast' or 'shore', and acostarse shares a root with the Latin word for 'rib'. This suggests the original meaning was to lie on one's side.
- The verb acostar can be used as a euphemism for having sex with someone, particularly when used with the preposition con, such as in the phrase se acostó con él.
- In some Latin American contexts, tumbar can also mean to knock something over or to cut down a tree, adding a much more violent connotation than the peaceful acostarse.
Examples in context
- Por favor, acuéstese en esa camilla.Please lie down on that stretcher.
- Le sugiero que se recueste y descanse.I suggest you lie down and rest.
- Vamos a ver una película, acuéstate en el sofá.Let's watch a movie, lie down on the couch.
- Estoy cansado, recuéstate a mi lado.I'm tired, lie down next to me.
- Voy a acostarme un rato.I am going to lie down for a little while.
- Ella prefiere acostarse temprano.She prefers to lie down early.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry acostarse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
