somnífero
/somˈnifeɾo/
The Spanish word for "sleeping" (used for sleep or to produce sleep) is somnífero. Wiktionary also lists soporífero.
Meaning: used for sleep, used to produce sleep (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| somnífero | /somˈnifeɾo/ |
| soporífero | /sopoˈɾifeɾo/ |
The most common verb to express sleeping in Spanish is dormir, while soñar means "to dream". tener sueño means "to be sleepy" and irse a la cama means "to go to bed". Other related expressions include caer rendido for being exhausted, echar una siesta for taking a nap and the colloquial pegarse una dormidita for having a snooze.
Which one should you use?
somnífero is used specifically for substances or drugs that induce sleep. In contrast, soporífero is used to describe things that cause drowsiness or a heavy, sleepy feeling, such as a boring lecture or a heavy meal.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/somˈnifeɾo/
Did you know?
- The colloquial phrase pegarse una dormidita uses the verb pegar, which usually means 'to hit' or 'to glue', to describe the act of taking a quick snooze.
- The word somnífero is commonly used as a noun in Spanish to mean 'sleeping pill'. While it is an adjective in English, a Spanish speaker will say tomar un somnífero to mean 'take a sleeping pill'.
- The Spanish term soporífero comes from the Latin sopōriferum, which is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *swep-, the same ancient root that gave us the English word 'sleep'.
Examples in context
- Tomamos somníferos para poder dormir.We take sleeping pills to be able to sleep.This sentence is useful for describing taking sleeping pills to be able to sleep.Tatoeba #6612203 by arh, translation #12847962 by rul
- Dalida murió de una sobredosis de somníferos.Dalida died from an overdose of sleeping pills.This sentence is useful for describing a fatal overdose of sleeping pills.Tatoeba #1827411 by Espi, translation #510581 by shekitten
- ¡Necesito dormir ocho horas cada noche!I need to sleep eight hours every night!
- El paciente está durmiendo profundamente.The patient is sleeping deeply.
- Voy a echar una siesta de 30 minutos.I'm going to take a 30-minute nap.
- Después de almorzar, siempre me pego una dormidita.After lunch, I always take a quick sleep.
- Este jarabe tiene un efecto somnífero.This syrup has a sleeping effect.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are talking about their insomnia.
- LucíaNo puedo dormir, necesito algo somnífero.I can't sleep, I need something sleeping.
- AlejandroDeberías consultar con el médico primero, Lucía.You should consult with the doctor first, Lucía.
- LucíaTienes razón, pero estoy muy cansada.You're right, but I am very tired.
- AlejandroPrueba tomar un té caliente ahora.Try drinking a hot tea now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleeping” translations and entries somnífero, soporífero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries somnífero, soporífero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
