Inklingo
Dictionary

duerme

DWEHR-mehˈdweɾme

“duerme” means “sleeps” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

sleepsA1Verb

He/she/it sleeps

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Sleep!A2Verb

A direct command to 'tú' (you informal)

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sleeps, are sleepingAlso: is asleep

VerbA1irregular (stem-changing o>ue, o>u in preterite/subjunctive) ir
Mexico
A small, fluffy bear cub sleeping peacefully, curled up on a soft blue blanket in a cozy bedroom.
infinitivedormir
gerunddurmiendo
past Participledormido

📝 In Action

Mi gato duerme todo el día.

A1

My cat sleeps all day.

¿Usted duerme bien después de cenar?

A2

Do you (formal) sleep well after dinner?

Ella duerme en el sofá porque está muy cansada.

A1

She is sleeping on the sofa because she is very tired.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • duerme profundamente – sleeps deeply
  • duerme la siesta – takes a nap

Idioms & Expressions

  • La justicia duerme. – Justice is slow or inactive.

Sleep!Also: Go to sleep!

VerbA2irregular imperative irneutral/informal
A cheerful cartoon rabbit climbing into a cozy wooden bed, pulling a blanket up and closing its eyes, ready to sleep.
infinitivedormir
gerunddurmiendo
past Participledormido

📝 In Action

Ya es tarde, ¡duerme ahora!

A2

It's already late, sleep now!

Duerme, mi amor, que mañana hay escuela.

A2

Sleep, my love, because tomorrow is a school day.

Indicative

Present

yoduermo
túduermes
él/ella/ustedduerme
nosotrosdormimos
vosotrosdormís
ellos/ellas/ustedesduermen

Imperfect

yodormía
túdormías
él/ella/usteddormía
nosotrosdormíamos
vosotrosdormíais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdormían

Preterite

yodormí
túdormiste
él/ella/usteddurmió
nosotrosdormimos
vosotrosdormisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdurmieron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yoduerma
túduermas
él/ella/ustedduerma
nosotrosdurmamos
vosotrosdurmáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesduerman

Imperfect Subjunctive

yodurmiera
túdurmieras
él/ella/usteddurmiera
nosotrosdurmiéramos
vosotrosdurmierais
ellos/ellas/ustedesdurmieran
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "duerme" in Spanish:

are sleepingis asleepsleeps

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: duerme

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'duerme' as a command?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
dormir(to sleep) — Verb
dormitorio(bedroom) — Noun
durmiente(sleeper/sleeping) — Adjective / Noun
🎵 Rhymes
enormeuniforme
📚 Etymology

The verb 'dormir' comes from the Latin word 'dormire,' meaning 'to sleep.' The modern Spanish form 'duerme' developed due to a natural sound change (the 'o' becoming 'ue') when the syllable was emphasized, a pattern found in many Spanish verbs.

First recorded: Pre-10th century (as part of the developing Spanish language)

Cognates (Related words)

French: dormirItalian: dormire

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'duerme' have a 'ue' but 'dormimos' keeps the 'o'?

This is a common pattern in Spanish verbs! The 'o' changes to 'ue' only when that part of the word is strongly emphasized when you say it. For 'duerme,' the stress is on 'due-', but for 'dormimos,' the stress is on 'mi-', so the 'o' stays the same.

How do I say 'He slept' using the verb 'dormir'?

You need the simple past tense (preterite) form, which is 'durmió'. Notice the change from 'o' to 'u' in this past tense.