Which one should you use?
While acostarse is the standard term, tumbarse is a common synonym that often implies a more casual or spontaneous action, such as lying down on a sofa or on the grass. Additionally, the phrase acostar (without the reflexive pronoun) means to lay someone else down, such as laying a child in a crib, rather than laying oneself down.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The informal expression Tirar(se) is found in several different Spanish-speaking regions.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because acostarse is a reflexive verb, you must use reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) to indicate that you are performing the action on yourself, such as in me acuesto (I lay down). To express a completed action of laying down in the past, you can use the preterite form se acostó (he/she/it laid down).
How do you pronounce it?
/akosˈtaɾse/
Did you know?
- In various Latin American dialects, the verb tumbar is used not only to mean 'to lay down' but also as slang for 'to steal' or 'to cheat' someone out of money.
- The word costa can mean 'coast' or 'rib', and acostarse originally stems from the idea of lying on one's 'side' or 'rib' rather than simply lying flat.
- In many Latin American countries, you might hear the phrase echarse used instead of acostarse for a quick nap. This comes from the verb 'to throw', suggesting a very casual way of throwing oneself onto a surface.
Examples in context
- Debo acostar al bebé en su cuna.I need to lay down the baby in their crib.
- El médico acostó al paciente en la camilla.The doctor laid down the patient on the stretcher.
- Debes tender las sábanas en la cama antes de dormir.You should lay down the sheets on the bed before sleeping.
- Después de almorzar, me voy a echar en el sofá a descansar.After lunch, I'm going to lay down on the couch to rest.
- Él se echó en el césped para tomar el sol.He laid down on the grass to sunbathe.
- Me voy a tirar un rato en la cama antes de salir.I'm going to lay down in bed for a while before going out.
- Siempre me tiro en el sillón cuando llego a casa.I always lay down on the armchair when I arrive home.
- Me voy a acostar porque estoy cansado.I am going to lie down because I am tired.
- Él necesita acostarse pronto.He needs to lie down soon.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking in the living room late at night.
- JavierEstoy muy cansado, voy a acostarse.I am very tired, I'm going to lay down.
- ElenaYo también, ya es muy tarde.Me too, it is already very late.
- Javier¿Quieres acostarse ya, Elena?Do you want to lay down now, Elena?
- ElenaSí, vamos a dormir.Yes, let's go to sleep.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry acostarse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
