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."
Choose the correct word: ¿Duermes ______ bien por la noche?
tú
The subject pronoun 'tú' matches the verb form 'duermes' in the second person singular.
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).
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.) |
What is the subjunctive stem for 'dormir'?
duerm-
The present subjunctive stem uses the o → ue change: duerm- (e.g., duerma, duermas).
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.'
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
