sommeil
/sɔ.mɛj/
sommeil is the French word for sleep.
sommeil refers to the state of being asleep or the natural need to sleep.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɔ.mɛj/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 'être' with 'sommeil', but in French, you 'have' sleepiness (avoir sommeil). To express that one is feeling sleepy, use the verb 'avoir' (to have) with 'sommeil' rather than 'être' (to be).
Did you know?
- The French have a specific term, le sommeil paradoxal, to describe REM sleep. While English uses the acronym 'REM' for 'rapid eye movement', French focuses on the 'paradoxical' nature of the brain being active while the body is paralyzed.
- The word sommeil is actually a diminutive, originally meaning 'a little sleep'. It comes from the Latin somniculum, which combined the word for 'sleep' with a suffix for smallness.
- In French culture, a sieste is a specific kind of short sommeil taken in the afternoon. While common in the south of France, it is often viewed as a luxury or a sign of laziness in fast-paced Parisian business culture.
Examples in context
- J'ai besoin de pioncer un peu.I need to catch some Z's.
- Le sommeil est important pour la santé.Sleep is important for health.
- Elle a un sommeil très léger.She is a very light sleeper.
- Je n'ai pas eu beaucoup de sommeil cette nuit.I didn't get much sleep last night.
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are watching a movie late at night.
- ManonHugo, tu as sommeil ?Hugo, are you sleepy?
- HugoOui, je n'en peux plus.Yes, I can't take it anymore.
- ManonOn peut arrêter le film alors.We can stop the movie then.
- HugoC'est une bonne idée, Manon.That is a good idea, Manon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sommeil, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sommeil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
