When learning how to talk about sleep in French, it’s important to distinguish between dormir and s’endormir, since they describe different moments of the sleeping process. This short guide highlights the difference with simple examples.
Dormir
Use dormir to talk about being asleep, the ongoing state of sleep, or sleeping for a certain amount of time. It describes the actual act of sleep, not the moment when sleep begins.
Examples
Expressions
| French Expression | English Equivalent | |
|---|---|---|
| 💤 Faire la sieste | To take a nap | |
| 🌅 Se lever du bon pied | To wake up feeling good | |
| 😴 Tomber dans les bras de Morphée | To fall into a deep sleep | |
| 🕰️ Dormir sur ses deux oreilles | To sleep soundly |
Related Verbs
I sleep eight hours per night.
| French Verb | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| se reposer | to rest | |
| s’allonger | to lie down | |
| rêver | to dream | |
| ronfler | to snore |
S’endormir
Use s’endormir to describe the moment when someone falls asleep, the transition from wakefulness to sleep. It focuses on the process of going to sleep rather than the sleep itself.
Examples
Expressions
| French Expression | English Equivalent | |
|---|---|---|
| 💤 S’endormir comme une masse | To fall asleep like a stone | |
| ⏳ Mettre du temps à s’endormir | To take a long time to fall asleep | |
| 🧘 Se vider la tête avant de dormir | To clear one’s mind before sleeping | |
| 🌙 S’endormir au clair de lune | To fall asleep by moonlight |
Related Verbs
| French Verb | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| se relaxer | to relax | |
| dormir | to sleep | |
| s’allonger | to lie down | |
| se réveiller | to wake up |
Key Difference
The key difference is that s’endormir describes the act of falling asleep while dormir describes the state of being asleep. Think of s’endormir as the starting point and dormir as what happens afterward.
Summary
Use s’endormir for the moment you go to sleep and dormir for the time spent asleep. Keeping this distinction in mind will help you describe sleep more naturally in French.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025