Inklingo
← Dictionary

soñar

soh-NYARsoˈɲaɾ

to dream

VerbA1irregular (stem-changing: o → ue) ar
A sleeping child lying comfortably in bed. Above the child's head, a large, translucent thought bubble displays a colorful, whimsical image of a flying fish swimming in the air.
infinitivesoñar
gerundsoñando
past Participlesoñado

📝 In Action

Siempre sueño con unicornios cuando duermo.

A1

I always dream about unicorns when I sleep.

¿Qué soñaste anoche? Parecías muy feliz.

A2

What did you dream last night? You looked very happy.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • soñar despierto – to daydream
  • tener un sueño – to have a dream

to dream of

Also: to hope for
VerbB1irregular (stem-changing: o → ue) ar
A young person stands on a small green hill, looking determinedly into the distance. In the distance, a bright, majestic castle sits atop a high mountain peak, symbolizing an aspirational goal.
infinitivesoñar
gerundsoñando
past Participlesoñado

📝 In Action

Mi hermana sueña con ser astronauta desde pequeña.

B1

My sister dreams of being an astronaut since she was little.

Todos soñamos con un mundo sin guerras.

B1

We all dream of a world without wars.

Él sueña con viajar por toda Europa el próximo año.

B2

He dreams of traveling all over Europe next year.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • soñar en grande – to dream big
  • soñar con la libertad – to dream of freedom

to imagine

Also: to conceive of
VerbB2irregular (stem-changing: o → ue) arinformal
A person sits at a wooden desk with a skeptical or contemplative expression, leaning back. A small, stylized thought cloud above their head shows an image of a pig wearing a gold crown and riding a small bicycle.
infinitivesoñar
gerundsoñando
past Participlesoñado

📝 In Action

¿Quién soñaría con ir a esa fiesta después de lo que pasó?

B2

Who would even imagine going to that party after what happened?

Ni en sueños podemos pagar ese coche.

C1

We can't afford that car, not even in our wildest imagination. (Literal: Not even in dreams)

Word Connections

Synonyms

Idioms & Expressions

  • Ni soñarlo. – Absolutely not; no way.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedsueña
yosueño
túsueñas
ellos/ellas/ustedessueñan
nosotrossoñamos
vosotrossoñáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedsoñaba
yosoñaba
túsoñabas
ellos/ellas/ustedessoñaban
nosotrossoñábamos
vosotrossoñabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedsoñó
yosoñé
túsoñaste
ellos/ellas/ustedessoñaron
nosotrossoñamos
vosotrossoñasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedsueñe
yosueñe
túsueñes
ellos/ellas/ustedessueñen
nosotrossoñemos
vosotrossoñéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedsoñara / soñase
yosoñara / soñase
túsoñaras / soñases
ellos/ellas/ustedessoñaran / soñasen
nosotrossoñáramos / soñásemos
vosotrossoñarais / soñaseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "soñar" in Spanish:

to dream→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: soñar

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'soñar' to express an aspiration?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
el sueño(the dream / the sleepiness) — Noun
soñador(dreamer / dreamy) — Noun / Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
enseñarpeinar
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the Latin verb *somniare*, which itself is based on *somnium* (dream). This connection highlights that the word has always been tied to the act of sleeping and imagining.

First recorded: Medieval Latin period

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: sonharItalian: sognare

💡 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

How do I know whether 'sueño' means 'dream' (noun) or 'I dream' (verb)?

The context usually makes it clear! If you see 'el sueño' (the dream), it's the noun. If you see 'Yo sueño' (I dream), it's the verb. Also, the noun 'el sueño' can mean both 'a dream' and 'sleepiness/sleep'.

Why does 'soñar' use 'con' (with) when translating 'to dream about'?

In Spanish, when you dream *about* something, you are conceptually dreaming *with* that thing or idea. This is a fixed pattern in Spanish: 'soñar con algo' (to dream about something).