soñar
/soh-NYAR/
to dream
Soñar: To dream (while sleeping).
📝 In Action
Siempre sueño con unicornios cuando duermo.
A1I always dream about unicorns when I sleep.
¿Qué soñaste anoche? Parecías muy feliz.
A2What did you dream last night? You looked very happy.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'o' changes to 'ue'
This verb is special! The letter 'o' in the middle changes to 'ue' when stressed. This happens for most people in the present tense, except for 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Stem Change
Mistake: "Yo soño (Incorrect)"
Correction: Yo sueño (Correct). Remember to change the 'o' to 'ue' when you talk about 'I', 'you', 'he/she/it', and 'they'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'con' for the topic
When talking about the CONTENT of the dream, use the preposition 'con' (with/about): 'Soñé con un perro gigante' (I dreamed about a giant dog).
Soñar: To dream of (to aspire to).
soñar(verb)
to dream of
?to aspire to
to hope for
?a future outcome
📝 In Action
Mi hermana sueña con ser astronauta desde pequeña.
B1My sister dreams of being an astronaut since she was little.
Todos soñamos con un mundo sin guerras.
B1We all dream of a world without wars.
Él sueña con viajar por toda Europa el próximo año.
B2He dreams of traveling all over Europe next year.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Use 'con'
When talking about aspirations, 'soñar' is almost always followed by the preposition 'con' (with/of). You cannot use 'sobre' or just the object alone.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Missing the Preposition
Mistake: "Sueño ganar la lotería. (Incorrect)"
Correction: Sueño con ganar la lotería. (Correct). The 'con' is necessary before the thing you aspire to.
Soñar: To imagine (to contemplate, usually sarcastically).
soñar(verb)
to imagine
?to contemplate, usually sarcastically
to conceive of
?to think something is possible
📝 In Action
¿Quién soñaría con ir a esa fiesta después de lo que pasó?
B2Who would even imagine going to that party after what happened?
Ni en sueños podemos pagar ese coche.
C1We can't afford that car, not even in our wildest imagination. (Literal: Not even in dreams)
💡 Grammar Points
Used in Questions and Negatives
This meaning often appears in rhetorical questions or negative statements to emphasize the impossibility or unreasonableness of an idea.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: soñar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'soñar' to express an aspiration?
📚 More Resources
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).