What does it mean word for word?
The part me quedé dormido literally translates to "I remained/stayed asleep".
Which one should you use?
The forms vary based on the level of formality and the gender of the speaker. For a more casual approach to saying "sorry", you can use perdón, me quedé dormido. The forms Disculpe que me quedara dormido/a, Lamento haberme quedado dormido/a and Le pido disculpas, me dormí sin querer are used for formal apologies. For informal situations, you can use Perdona que me haya dormido or Lo siento mucho, me quedé dormido/a.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gender of the speaker affects the final word of the phrase: a male speaker uses the masculine form dormido while a female speaker uses the feminine form dormida. The phrase me quedé dormido uses the verb quedarse in the preterite tense quedé to indicate a completed action in the past.
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, a person might say me quedé frito instead of me quedé dormido, which literally translates to 'I stayed fried'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the phrase me quedé dormido is often paired with the excuse me venció el sueño, which literally means 'sleep conquered me'.
- The word dormido shares a common Indo-European root with the English word 'dormitory', which is a place designed for sleeping.
Examples in context
- Disculpe que me quedara dormido en la reunión.I apologize for falling asleep in the meeting.
- Lo siento mucho, me quedé dormido y no llegué a tiempo a la fiesta.I'm very sorry, I fell asleep and didn't make it to the party on time.
- Lo siento, me quedé dormido durante la película.Sorry, I fell asleep during the movie.
- Lo siento, me quedé dormido y no contesté tu mensaje.Sorry, I fell asleep and didn't answer your message.
- Lo siento, me quedé dormido en el sofá.Sorry, I fell asleep on the sofa.
Example conversation
Alejandro is apologizing to Lucía for missing her phone call late at night.
- AlejandroLo siento, me quedé dormido muy temprano.Sorry, I fell asleep very early.
- LucíaNo te preocupes, Alejandro, no pasa nada.Don't worry, Alejandro, it's okay.
- AlejandroPerdona que no te llamara de vuelta.Forgive me for not calling you back.
- LucíaEntiendo, descansa un poco más.I understand, rest a bit more.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dormido, lo, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
