Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| entumido | /entumido/ (from spelling rules) |
| dormido | /doɾˈmido/ |
Entumido is used to describe being physically unable to feel. You can also use the participle entumecido to describe a state of being numbed by an external factor, such as medication or the cold. If you want to describe the process of becoming physically numb, you can use the verbs entumecerse, entumirse or aterirse. To describe the process of causing the mind or senses to be less acute, use the verb entorpecer.
Which one should you use?
While entumido refers to physical numbness, the word dormido is frequently used colloquially to mean a limb has "fallen asleep".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective entumido must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use entumida for feminine nouns, such as la mano and use entumidos for masculine plural nouns, such as los pies.
How do you pronounce it?
/entumido/
Did you know?
- When someone is emotionally numb or shocked, Spanish speakers often avoid entumido and instead use quedar en blanco, which literally means 'to stay in white'.
- While dormido literally means 'asleep', Spanish speakers use it to describe the tingling sensation of a limb waking up, which is known as hormigueo from the word for 'ants'.
- The adjective entumido is derived from the Latin word tumescere, which means 'to swell', reflecting how numbness is often accompanied by a feeling of swelling.
Examples in context
- Tengo los brazos y las piernas entumidos.My arms and legs feel numb.This sentence is useful for describing how arms and legs feel using entumido.Tatoeba #13462425 by Seael, translation #8229134 by meshbags
- Los nadadores estaban entumidos del frío.The swimmers were numb with cold.This sentence is useful for describing swimmers who were entumido because of the cold.Tatoeba #1817766 by ragazzobravo, translation #26417 by CK
- Después de la cirugía, mis labios estaban entumecidos.After the surgery, my lips were numb.
- Después de tanto tiempo en el frío, mis dedos están dormidos.After being in the cold for so long, my fingers are numb.
- Caminé tanto que ahora tengo los pies acorchados.I walked so much that now my feet are numb.
- Siento el pie entumido después de estar sentado tanto tiempo.I feel my foot numb after sitting for so long.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are sitting in a cold park.
- JavierSofía, tengo el dedo entumido.Sofía, my finger is numb.
- SofíaEs por el viento frío, Javier.It is because of the cold wind, Javier.
- JavierNo siento nada en la mano.I can't feel anything in my hand.
- SofíaVamos a casa para calentarnos.Let's go home to warm up.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “numb” translations and entries entumido, dormido, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
