Dormir la mona
/dor-MEER la MOH-nah/
To sleep off a period of drunkenness; to sleep while drunk to recover.
💡 Understanding the Idiom
🎨 Literal vs. Figurative
Literally, this phrase means 'to sleep the female monkey'.
In reality, it means to sleep deeply to recover from drinking too much.
Key Words in This Idiom:
📝 In Action
Anoche bebí demasiado. Hoy necesito todo el día para dormir la mona.
B2I drank too much last night. Today I need the whole day to sleep it off.
No hagas ruido, que tu padre llegó tarde de la cena de empresa y está durmiendo la mona.
B2Don't make noise, your father got home late from the company dinner and is sleeping it off.
Después de la boda, la mitad de los invitados se fueron directos al hotel a dormir la mona.
C1After the wedding, half the guests went straight to the hotel to sleep it off.
📜 Origin Story
This curious phrase comes from the fact that 'mona' is old Spanish slang for 'drunkenness'. The most popular theory suggests this started because the silly, clumsy movements of a drunk person were compared to the antics of a monkey ('mono' or 'mona'). So, 'coger una mona' means 'to get drunk' (literally, 'to catch a monkey'), and 'dormir la mona' is what you do afterwards: you sleep to get rid of that 'monkey' of drunkenness.
⭐ Usage Tips
For Alcohol Only
Use this phrase exclusively for sleeping to recover from drinking alcohol. It's not for a regular nap or sleeping because you're sick or tired from work.
Keep it Casual
This is a very informal, everyday expression. It's perfect for talking with friends or family, but you would not use it in a professional email or a formal conversation.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Not for Hangovers
Mistake: "Using 'dormir la mona' to describe the feeling of a hangover the next day."
Correction: This phrase describes the *act* of sleeping while drunk. The headache and sickness you feel the next morning is 'la resaca'. So, you 'duermes la mona' at night, and you 'tienes resaca' in the morning.
🌎 Where It's Used
Spain
Extremely common and universally understood. A core part of informal vocabulary.
Latin America
Much less common. While some may understand it, most countries have their own local slang for being drunk and recovering, such as 'dormir la cruda' (Mexico) or simply saying you're sleeping because of 'la resaca'.
🔗 Related Idioms
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: Dormir la mona
Question 1 of 1
Your friend cancels your morning plans, saying 'Lo siento, necesito dormir la mona.' Why did they cancel?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'dormir el mono' for a man?
No, the expression is fixed as 'dormir la mona' regardless of the person's gender. 'La mona' here refers to the state of drunkenness itself, not a literal female monkey.
Is this phrase offensive?
It's not offensive, but it is very informal and directly references being drunk. It's best used in casual, relaxed situations with people you know well.