dormirse
/doɾmiɾse/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'to go to sleep' is translated into Spanish as dormirse.
dormirse is used to describe the transition or the act of falling asleep. This is distinct from the verb dormir, which refers to the continuous state of being asleep.
Which one should you use?
Use dormirse to express the specific act of falling asleep. In contrast, the non-reflexive form dormir is used when referring to the state of sleeping.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you might hear irse a acostar to mean 'to go to sleep.' In Spain, the expression irse a la cama is used to mean 'to go to bed.'
How does it change in a sentence?
dormirse is a stem-changing verb. In many present tense forms, the 'o' changes to 'ue', such as in the third person singular present tense where the reflexive pronoun 'se' is placed before the conjugated verb to form se duerme (he/she goes to sleep). In the preterite past tense, the 'o' changes to 'u', resulting in the form se durmió (he/she fell asleep).
How do you pronounce it?
/doɾmiɾse/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, the reflexive dormirse can be used to describe a limb 'falling asleep' or going numb, such as se me durmió la pierna.
- The word dormir is a distant relative of the English word 'dormitory', which comes from the Latin root for sleep.
- The reflexive form dormirse can sometimes be used metaphorically to describe a person or a country becoming stagnant or 'falling asleep' on its responsibilities.
Examples in context
- Alberto quería volver a la cabaña para dormirse.Alberto wanted to go back to the cabin to go to sleep.This sentence shows how to use dormirse when expressing a desire to go back to a cabin to go to sleep.Tatoeba #12969926 by frpzzd, translation #11677681 by Amastan
- Mañana tengo una reunión importante, así que debo ir a dormir temprano.Tomorrow, I have an important meeting, so I have to go to sleep early.
- Después de una larga jornada de trabajo, es necesario acostarse y descansar adecuadamente.After a long day at work, it's necessary to go to bed and rest properly.
- Estoy agotado/a. Creo que me voy a dormir un rato.I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to sleep for a while.
- Después de cenar, me echo un rato en el sofá antes de ir a dormir.After dinner, I lie down on the couch for a while before going to sleep.
- Es difícil dormirse cuando hay mucho ruido.It is difficult to go to sleep when there is a lot of noise.
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are talking in the living room late at night.
- SofíaTengo mucho sueño, ya quiero dormirse.I am very sleepy, I want to go to sleep now.
- DanielYo también, pero no puedo dejar de leer.Me too, but I can't stop reading.
- SofíaApaga la luz para poder dormirse.Turn off the light so you can go to sleep.
- DanielEstá bien, ya me voy a la cama.Alright, I'm going to bed now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dormirse, 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.
