sumir
“sumir” means “to plunge” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to plunge
Also: to sink, to submerge
📝 In Action
La muerte de su perro lo sumió en una gran tristeza.
B2The death of his dog plunged him into a great sadness.
Las deudas pueden sumir a una empresa en la quiebra.
B2Debts can sink a company into bankruptcy.
El escándalo sumió al país en una crisis política.
C1The scandal plunged the country into a political crisis.
to get lost in
📝 In Action
Ella se sumió en sus pensamientos y no respondió.
C1She got lost in her thoughts and didn't answer.
El hombre se sumió en un silencio profundo.
C1The man sank into a deep silence.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: sumir
Question 1 of 3
If a city is 'sumida en el caos', what is happening?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'sumere', which originally meant 'to take' or 'to take up'. In Spanish, it evolved to mean taking something down or plunging it deep into something else.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'sumir' the same as 'sumergir'?
They are very close! 'Sumergir' is usually for physical things (like putting an object in water), while 'sumir' is more often used for metaphorical states (like sadness or debt).
Can I use 'sumir' for positive things?
Generally, no. 'Sumir' almost always carries a negative or heavy tone, like sinking into misery or silence.
Is 'sumir' a common word?
It is not as common as 'poner' or 'caer', but you will see it often in books, newspapers, and formal speeches.