Dormir is an irregular verb in Spanish that means "to sleep." It belongs to the -ir verb group but follows a special stem-changing pattern in certain forms (o → ue). It is also an important verb for talking about rest, tiredness, and daily routines.
Definition
Dormir* means "to sleep" or "to go to sleep."
Usage
- ... when you want to express the act of sleeping or going to bed.
- ... when talking about how many hours one sleeps or describing sleep habits.
Irregularities
- Stem changes from o → ue in all forms except for nosotros and vosotros (e.g., duermo, duermes, duerme, duermen).
- The gerund form is durmiendo (not durmiendo).
- The past participle is dormido (used with haber for compound tenses).
- The preterite tense has stem changes in the third person singular and plural (durmió, durmieron).
In which preterite forms does the stem change occur?
third person singular and plural (durmió, durmieron)
Stem changes in the preterite are limited to third person singular and plural, unique to certain -ir verbs like 'dormir.'
Examples
- Voy a dormir ocho horas. (I’m going to sleep eight hours.)
- ¿Duermes bien por la noche? (Do you sleep well at night?)
- Ellos durmieron en el hotel. (They slept in the hotel.)
- Estoy durmiendo ahora. (I’m sleeping right now.)
- Dormí tarde anoche. (I slept late last night.)
Conjugations
Present Indicative
| Spanish | English Singular | Spanish Plural | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo duermo | I sleep / I am sleeping | Nosotros dormimos | We sleep / We are sleeping |
| Tú duermes | You sleep / You are sleeping | Vosotros dormís | You (pl.) sleep / are sleeping |
| Él/Ella duerme | He/She sleeps | Ellos/Ellas duermen | They sleep |
Preterite Indicative
| Spanish | English Singular | Spanish Plural | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo dormí | I slept | Nosotros dormimos | We slept |
| Tú dormiste | You slept | Vosotros dormisteis | You (pl.) slept |
| Él/Ella durmió | He/She slept | Ellos/Ellas durmieron | They slept |
Imperfect Indicative
| Spanish | English Singular | Spanish Plural | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo dormía | I used to sleep | Nosotros dormíamos | We used to sleep |
| Tú dormías | You used to sleep | Vosotros dormíais | You (pl.) used to sleep |
| Él/Ella dormía | He/She used to sleep | Ellos/Ellas dormían | They used to sleep |
Future Indicative
| Spanish | English Singular | Spanish Plural | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo dormiré | I will sleep | Nosotros dormiremos | We will sleep |
| Tú dormirás | You will sleep | Vosotros dormiréis | You (pl.) will sleep |
| Él/Ella dormirá | He/She will sleep | Ellos/Ellas dormirán | They will sleep |
Conditional
| Spanish | English Singular | Spanish Plural | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo dormiría | I would sleep | Nosotros dormiríamos | We would sleep |
| Tú dormirías | You would sleep | Vosotros dormiríais | You (pl.) would sleep |
| Él/Ella dormiría | He/She would sleep | Ellos/Ellas dormirían | They would sleep |
Present Subjunctive
| Spanish | English Singular | Spanish Plural | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo duerma | I sleep (may) | Nosotros durmamos | We sleep (may) |
| Tú duermas | You sleep (may) | Vosotros durmáis | You (pl.) sleep (may) |
| Él/Ella duerma | He/She sleeps (may) | Ellos/Ellas duerman | They sleep (may) |
Imperfect Subjunctive (-ra form)
| Spanish | English Singular | Spanish Plural | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo durmiera | I slept (if …) | Nosotros durmiéramos | We slept (if …) |
| Tú durmieras | You slept (if …) | Vosotros durmierais | You (pl.) slept (if …) |
| Él/Ella durmiera | He/She slept (if …) | Ellos/Ellas durmieran | They slept (if …) |
Imperative
| Spanish | English Singular | Spanish Plural | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | Nosotros durmamos | Let’s sleep |
| — | — | Vosotros dormid | Sleep (you all) |
| — | — | Ellos/Ellas duerman | Let them sleep |
Gerund and Past Participle
| Form | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Durmiendo | Gerund (…ing) | Estoy durmiendo. (I’m sleeping.) |
| Dormido | Past participle | He dormido mucho. (I have slept a lot.) |
Related Phrases
- dormir bien/mal — to sleep well/badly
- dormir la siesta — to take a nap
- dormir como un tronco — to sleep like a log (very deeply)
- irse a dormir — to go to bed / go to sleep
- estar dormido/a — to be asleep
Common Mistakes
- Using the stem change o → ue in nosotros and vosotros forms (e.g., dormimos and dormís are correct, durmimos is incorrect).
- Confusing dormir (to sleep) with dormirse (to fall asleep), which is a reflexive verb. For example:
- Yo duermo ocho horas.* (I sleep eight hours.)
- Yo me duermo rápidamente.* (I fall asleep quickly.)
- Overusing the present participle durmiendo in contexts where the simple present is more appropriate. For example:
- Estoy durmiendo.* (I’m sleeping.) is correct in the moment.
- Duermo ocho horas.* (I sleep eight hours.) is more general.
Which is incorrect: 'Nosotros durmimos ocho horas'?
Incorrect (should be dormimos)
'Durmimos' is wrong; stem change does not occur in nosotros forms. The correct form is 'dormimos.'
When is 'durmiendo' appropriate?
Use durmiendo with estar for actions happening right now (Estoy durmiendo).
'Durmiendo' is a gerund used with estar for ongoing actions. It is incorrect in past, nominal, or future infinitive constructions.
Summary
- Dormir means "to sleep"; stem changes o → ue except in nosotros/vosotros.
- Irregular forms appear in preterite (durmió, durmieron).
- Use durmiendo for "sleeping" and dormido for "slept" (past participle).
- Include reflexive pronoun when using dormirse (to fall asleep).
- Useful for talking about sleep habits, routines, and descriptions.
Flashcards (1 of 24)
- English Singular: I sleep / I am sleeping
- English Plural: We sleep / We are sleeping
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
