Inklingo

How to Say "dreams" in Spanish

English → Spanish

sueños

/SWEN-yohs//ˈsweɲos/

NounA2General
Use 'sueños' for the literal dreams you have while sleeping, or for your future hopes, ambitions, and goals.
A sleeping child resting peacefully on a soft blue cloud, with vibrant, abstract shapes and stars gently floating out from their head, representing the stories and images experienced during sleep.

Examples

Anoche tuve sueños muy extraños.

Last night I had very strange dreams.

A veces no recuerdo mis sueños por la mañana.

Sometimes I don't remember my dreams in the morning.

Mi hijo tiene malos sueños después de ver películas de miedo.

My son has bad dreams after watching scary movies.

Uno de mis grandes sueños es viajar por todo el mundo.

One of my big dreams is to travel all over the world.

Always Masculine

Even though it ends in -os, 'sueños' is a masculine word. Always use masculine words like 'los', 'mis', or 'unos' with it. For example, 'los sueños' (the dreams).

Using the Noun vs. the Verb

Mistake: “Mis sueños son ser un doctor.”

Correction: Mi sueño es ser doctor. OR Sueño con ser doctor. 'Sueños' are the things you hope for, while 'soñar con' is the action of dreaming about something.

ilusiones

/ee-loo-SYOH-ness//iluˈsjones/

NounA2General
Use 'ilusiones' specifically for personal aspirations and strong hopes for something to happen, often with a sense of wishful thinking.
A small child looking up at a bright, colorful shooting star in a night sky with a joyful expression.

Examples

Tengo muchas ilusiones puestas en este nuevo proyecto.

I have high hopes for this new project.

No quiero hacerme ilusiones todavía.

I don't want to get my hopes up yet.

Always Feminine

Even though it ends in '-es', this word is feminine. Use 'las' or 'muchas' with it.

Hopes vs. Magic

Mistake: “Using 'esperanzas' for every situation.”

Correction: While 'esperanza' is 'hope' (the belief something will happen), 'ilusión' is more about the 'excitement' and 'joy' felt while waiting for it.

Sueños vs. Ilusiones

The most common mistake is using 'ilusiones' when you mean the literal dreams you have during sleep. Remember, 'sueños' covers both sleeping dreams and future aspirations, while 'ilusiones' leans more towards personal hopes and wishes for the future.

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