Meaning and Usage
The verb schlafen means to sleep in English. It is used to describe the action of being in a state of rest with closed eyes, usually during the night or for a regular period.
Verb Type
Schlafen is an irregular verb in German. This means it does not follow the regular conjugation patterns in the present tense and has some vowel changes in certain forms.
Present Tense Conjugation
The present tense of schlafen shows a vowel change from a to ä in the second and third person singular forms.
| German Pronoun | German Conjugation | English Conjugation | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | schlafe | I sleep | Ich schlafe acht Stunden. | I sleep eight hours. |
| du | schläfst | you sleep | Du schläfst sehr gut. | You sleep very well. |
| er/sie/es | schläft | he/she/it sleeps | Er schläft tief und fest. | He sleeps deeply and sound. |
| wir | schlafen | we sleep | Wir schlafen im Zelt. | We sleep in the tent. |
| ihr | schlaft | you (plural) sleep | Ihr schlaft immer früh. | You all always sleep early. |
| sie/Sie | schlafen | they/you (formal) sleep | Sie schlafen im Hotel. | They sleep at the hotel. |
Past Tense Forms
The simple past of schlafen is schlief, used mainly in written German and formal speech. The past participle is geschlafen, used with haben to form the perfect tense.
| Tense | Form | Example (German) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple past | ich schlief | Ich schlief gestern früh. | I slept early yesterday. |
| Present perfect | ich habe geschlafen | Ich habe gut geschlafen. | I have slept well. |
Usage Notes
Schlafen is commonly used with time expressions to indicate how long or when someone sleeps. It is often accompanied by adverbs like gut (well), tief (deeply), or viel (a lot).
Related Expressions
- einschlafen – to fall asleep
- durchschlafen – to sleep through (the night) without waking up
- schlafen gehen – to go to sleep
These verbs are formed by adding prefixes or combining verbs with schlafen and have related meanings connected to the act of sleeping.
