tienes sueño
/tjenes sweɲo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you sleepy" is expressed in Spanish as tienes sueño.
This phrase is used to ask if someone feels tired and wants to go to sleep.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, tienes sueño translates to "you have sleep".
Which one should you use?
While tienes sueño refers to the sensation of wanting to sleep, estás cansado/a refers to being physically exhausted or tired.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can change the form of the verb to address different people: use tiene sueño to say "he/she/you (formal) is sleepy", and use tenemos sueño to say "we are sleepy".
Did you know?
- The word sueño is a double agent in Spanish. Depending on the context, it can mean both the physiological need for 'sleep' and the vivid images you have in a 'dream'.
- The Latin root for sueño is 'somnus', which is also the root of the English word 'insomnia'.
- If someone is actually nodding off in front of you, a native speaker might say me estoy quedando dormido. This reflexive phrasing describes the physical act of slipping into sleep.
Examples in context
- Sí, tengo mucho sueñoYes, I am very sleepy
- ¿Tienes sueño todavía?Are you still sleepy?
- Parece que tienes sueño.It looks like you are sleepy.
- Si tienes sueño, puedes dormir.If you are sleepy, you can sleep.
Example conversation
Lucía notices Alejandro yawning while they are watching a movie.
- Lucía¿Tienes sueño, Alejandro?Are you sleepy, Alejandro?
- AlejandroSí, la verdad es que tengo mucho sueño.Yes, honestly, I am very sleepy.
- LucíaEntonces, es mejor que te vayas a la cama.Then, it is better if you go to bed.
- AlejandroEstá bien, buenas noches, Lucía.Okay, good night, Lucía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sueño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
