Inklingo
← Dictionary

duerme

DWEHR-meh/ˈdweɾme/

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

sleeps, are sleeping

Also: 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.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

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

imperfect

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

preterite

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

subjunctive

present

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

imperfect

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

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "duerme" in Spanish:

are sleeping→is asleep→sleeps→

✏️ 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▼
📚 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

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

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.