sueño
/SWEN-yo/
sleepiness
Sueño as sleepiness. The teddy bear is showing clear signs of being tired (tener sueño).
sueño(Noun)
sleepiness
?the physical feeling of needing to sleep
drowsiness
?a state of being tired and ready to fall asleep
,tiredness
?specifically the kind that leads to sleep
📝 In Action
Tengo mucho sueño, me voy a dormir.
A1I'm very sleepy, I'm going to sleep.
Después de comer, siempre me entra el sueño.
A2After eating, I always get sleepy.
El bebé tiene sueño y está llorando.
A1The baby is sleepy and is crying.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'tener' for Feelings
In Spanish, you don't 'are' sleepy, you 'have' sleepiness. Always use the verb 'tener' (to have) with 'sueño' to say you're sleepy. This also works for hunger ('tener hambre'), thirst ('tener sed'), and age ('tener años').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'ser' or 'estar' instead of 'tener'
Mistake: "Estoy sueño."
Correction: Tengo sueño. Remember that many physical states that use 'to be' in English use 'tener' in Spanish.
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing How Sleepy You Are
You can add words like 'mucho' (a lot) or 'un poco de' (a little bit of) to describe how sleepy you feel. For example: 'Tengo un poco de sueño' (I'm a little sleepy) or 'Tengo muchísimo sueño' (I'm extremely sleepy).
Sueño as a dream or aspiration. The girl is looking toward her future goal (Mi sueño es...).
sueño(Noun)
dream
?images or stories in your mind while sleeping
dream
?a goal, aspiration, or ambition
📝 In Action
Anoche tuve un sueño muy extraño sobre dragones.
A2Last night I had a very strange dream about dragons.
Mi sueño es ser un gran chef.
A2My dream is to be a great chef.
Fue un sueño hecho realidad.
B1It was a dream come true.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
The only way to know if 'sueño' means 'sleepiness' or 'dream' is by the other words in the sentence. If you see 'tener', it's almost always 'sleepiness'. If you see words like 'mi' (my) or 'un' (a), it's often about a 'dream'.
Sueño as the conjugation I dream (from the verb soñar). The fox is actively dreaming while asleep.
📝 In Action
Yo sueño con viajar a Japón algún día.
A2I dream of traveling to Japan someday.
A menudo sueño que puedo volar.
B1I often dream that I can fly.
💡 Grammar Points
Stem-Changing Verbs (o → ue)
The verb 'soñar' is a 'boot verb'. In the present tense, the 'o' changes to 'ue' for most forms (yo, tú, él, ellos), but it stays 'o' for 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'. Imagine drawing a boot around the forms that change!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Preposition 'con'
Mistake: "Sueño ser un doctor."
Correction: Sueño con ser un doctor. When you dream 'about' or 'of' something, you need to use the little word 'con' after the verb.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sueño
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'I am very sleepy'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'sueño' and 'soñar'?
'Sueño' is the thing (a noun) – either the sleepiness you feel or the dream you have. 'Soñar' is the action (a verb) – the act of dreaming. So you 'tienes un sueño' (have a dream) and you 'sueñas' (you dream).
Why do you say 'tengo sueño' instead of 'estoy sueño'?
It's a great question! Spanish often uses the verb 'tener' (to have) for physical feelings or states that English expresses with 'to be'. Think of it as 'having' a feeling. You 'have' sleepiness ('tengo sueño'), 'have' hunger ('tengo hambre'), and 'have' thirst ('tengo sed'). It's a key pattern in Spanish.
How can I tell if 'sueño' means 'dream' or 'sleepiness'?
Look at the words around it! If you see 'tener' (like in 'tengo sueño'), it almost always means 'sleepiness'. If you see words like 'un' (a), 'mi' (my), or 'el' (the) before it, it's usually talking about a 'dream', either one you had while sleeping or a life goal.