madrugar
/madɾuɡaɾ/from spelling rules
The Spanish way to say 'wake up early' is madrugar.
The term is used to describe the act of getting out of bed very early in the morning. While English requires a verb phrase to express this, Spanish uses the single, specific verb madrugar to convey the entire concept.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain parts of Spain, it is common to use the phrase despertarse con las gallinas, which literally means 'to wake up with the hens'.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to describe a person who habitually wakes up early, you can use the adjective forms madrugador for a male or madrugadora for a female.
How do you pronounce it?
/madɾuɡaɾ/
Did you know?
- While English uses 'the early bird catches the worm', the Spanish equivalent quien madruga, Dios le ayuda attributes success to divine help rather than the bird's effort.
- The word madrugada is used as a noun to describe the specific window of time between midnight and sunrise, a concept English lacks a single word for.
- The verb madrugar comes from the Vulgar Latin word *mātūricāre, which was derived from the Latin maturāre meaning 'hurry'.
Examples in context
- Debemos despertarnos temprano, alrededor de las 6 de la mañana.We should wake up early, around 6 in the morning.
- ¡Sí, vamos a madrugar para aprovechar el fresco!Yes, let's wake up early to take advantage of the cool weather!
- Mañana tengo que madrugar.Tomorrow I have to wake up early.
- Mañana tengo que madrugar mucho.Tomorrow I have to wake up very early.
- No me gusta madrugar los lunes.I don't like waking up early on Mondays.
- Él siempre suele madrugar para ir al gimnasio.He usually wakes up early to go to the gym.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are planning a hike.
- ElenaDebemos madrugar para llegar a la montaña.We should wake up early to get to the mountain.
- Alejandro¿A qué hora quieres despertar, Elena?What time do you want to wake up, Elena?
- ElenaA las cinco de la mañana está bien.Five in the morning is fine.
- AlejandroEstá bien, Alejandro madrugará contigo.Alright, Alejandro will wake up early with you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries madrugar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
