logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
June 29, 2022 by Olga Put Spanish Instruction, Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments

The Ultimate Guide to 200+ Sleep Words in Spanish

Have you ever wondered how to say “good night” in a different way than buenas noches? 

Have you ever gone to Zara Home in Spain or another Spanish-speaking country to buy bedsheets and got lost with mysterious names and weird sizes? 

Have you ever heard your friend saying that he couldn’t pegar ojo all night, and you didn’t get why he wanted to” glue his eye”?

If you’re confused with Spanish vocabulary related to sleeping and the world of dreams, then keep reading. Here’s the ultimate guide with 200+ hundred expressions and sleep words in Spanish! 

Join 559 million people on the planet who speak Spanish!
Sign up for your free trial Spanish class today. ➡️

Sleep Verbs: How To Say ‘To Sleep’ in Spanish

There are two verbs that you need to know when talking about sleeping in Spanish:

  1. dormir (to sleep) and
  2. soñar (to dream). 

Both are stem-changing verbs, where -o- changes either to –u- or –ue-.

You can look at the full article on the dormir conjugation and lesson here and look at soñar conjugation here.

But many other verbs are synonyms to dormir. 

Let’s take a look!

Spanish Verbs To Say “To Sleep” 

SpanishEnglish
acostarseto go to bed
adormecerseto fall asleep
adormilarseto doze off
amodorrarseto doze off
descansarto rest
dormirto sleep
dormirseto fall asleep
pernoctarto stay/spend the night
reposarto rest
sestearto snooze
soñarto dream
tenderseto lie down / to stretch out
tumbarseto lie down
yacerto lie

Let’s see how you can use some of them in a sentence:

Ayer me acosté muy tarde.
Yesterday, I went to bed very late.

Se adormeció a causa de la medicina.
He fell asleep because of the medicine. 

Pernoctamos en un hotel.
We spent the night in a hotel.

Le gusta reposar un rato después de comer.
He likes to rest a while after lunch.

Se tendió a dormitar bajo una sombrilla en la playa.
He stretched out to snooze beneath a sunshade on the beach.

Los dos amigos yacían en el prado a mirar las estrellas.
The two friends lay in the meadow looking at the stars.

certified teachers
free Spanish class button
Homeschool Spanish Academy

Opposites of ‘To Sleep’ in Spanish

How do you say “to get up”? Or “not to sleep,” and “to be awake”?

Spanish English
despertarseto wake up
desvelarsenot to be able to sleep, to stay up very late
estar despiertoto be awake
levantarseto get up

Se desveló a causa de sus preocupaciones.
He couldn’t sleep because of his worries.

Nos levantamos temprano.
We got up early.

¿Estás despierto?
Are you awake?

Me desperté a las cinco de la mañana. 
I woke up at five in the morning.

Sleeping Positions in Spanish

There are also different ways you can sleep at night. Choose your favorite position:

Spanish English
dormir boca abajoto sleep on your stomach
dormir boca arribato sleep on your back
dormir del lado derecho/izquierdoto sleep on the right/left side
dormir en posición fetalto sleep in fetal position

Me gusta dormir boca arriba, pero mi marido duerme boca abajo.
I like to sleep on my back, but my husband sleeps on his stomach.

Handpicked for you:

  • Learn 15 Spanish Verbs for Easier Beginner Conversations [with Audio]
“Babies like to sleep on their stomachs.”

Sleep-Related Nouns in Spanish

There are also many useful nouns that can be used to talk about sleep-related topics.

Spanish English
el sueñodream
la pesadillanightmare
el insomnioinsomnia
la canción de cunalullaby
el cuento para dormirbedtime story
la siestanap
el ronquido, roncarsnoring
la cabezadasnooze
la pijamadasleepover
la hora de dormirbedtime
la hora de acostarsebedtime
la melatoninamelatonin
el sonambulismosleepwalking

Note! It’s not the same to tener sueño (to be sleepy) that to tener un sueño (to have a dream).

Example Sentences About Sleep in Spanish

Tengo sueño. Me voy a dormir.
I’m sleepy. I’m going to bed.

Tengo el sueño ligero. 
I am a light sleeper.

Tuve un sueño terrible.
I had a terrible dream.

Do you know what you call a room where you sleep in Spanish? 

Well, you have three options. You can use them as synonyms, although the second one is used mainly in Latin America.

  1. cuarto (para dormir)
  2. recámara
  3. dormitorio

La recámara de mis padres es grande.
My parents’ bedroom is big.

Mi dormitorio es pequeño.
My bedroom is small.

Quiero tener mi propio cuarto de dormir.
I want to have my own bedroom.

It’s also good to know the types of beds in Spanish—especially if you want to do some shopping in Ikea in Madrid!

learn spanish online
Click here to get your free trial Spanish class!

Types of Beds in Spanish

Spanish English
la camabed
la literabunk bed
el sofásofa
el sofa camasofa bed
la cama matrimonialdouble bed
la cama king sizeking size bed
la cama queen sizequeen size bed
la cunacrib
la cama abatible/plegablefolding bed

Bed Sheets in Spanish

And if you want to buy some bed linens, you might need these vocab words:

Spanish English
la ropa de camabed linen
las sábanassheets
la mantablanket
la sábana bajerathe fitted sheet
la colchabedspread
el edredónthe duvet cover

Sleep-Related Adjectives in Spanish

Adjectives are necessary to express yourself more precisely. You might need specific words to describe the type of sleep you have or the dream you had last night. 

Remember that the word sueño is masculine, so your adjectives need to finish in -o or -e.

Adjectives To Describe Good Dreams

Spanish English
agradablepleasant
alegrecheerful
apaciblepeaceful
bellobeautiful
deleitosodelightful
deliciosodelicious
diáfanodiaphanous
dulcesweet
encantadorcharming
espléndidosplendid
fantásticofantastic
felizhappy
hermosobeautiful
lindonice
plácidoplacid
reparadorrestful
serenoserene
sosegadopeaceful
suavegentle
tranquilopeaceful

Unfortunately, not all dreams are good, and you might need some words to describe nightmares. 

Adjectives To Describe Bad Dreams

Spanish English
agitadísimovery agitating
asustadizoscary
desagradableunpleasant
espantosodreadful
fatigosotiring
febrilfeverish
graveserious
horriblehorrible
horrorosohorrifying
inquietorestless
intranquilorestless
malobad
oscurodark
pesadísimovery burdensome
pesadotiresome
terribleterrible
tristesad

Me dormí con este sueño pesado y profundo que solo tienes después de un duro trabajo físico.
I fell asleep in this deep, heavy sleep that you only get after hard physical work.

Ayer tuve un sueño horrible. Me desperté y ya no pude dormir.
Yesterday I had a horrible dream. I woke up and couldn’t sleep anymore.

“Last night I had a horrible dream.”

But not all the dreams can be classified as good or bad, sometimes they are simply weird:

Adjectives To Describe Weird Dreams

Spanish English
absurdoabsurd
estúpidostupid
extrañostrange
lococrazy
misteriosomysterious
raroweird

Other Spanish Adjectives To Describe Dreams

Spanish English
cortoshort
criogénicocryogenic
diurnodiurnal/daytime
eternoeternal
hipnóticohypnotic
inmensoimmense
interminableinterminable
interrumpidointerrupted
largolong
letárgicolethargic
levemild
matutinomorning
proféticoprophetic
profundodeep
prolongadoprolonged
recurrenterecurrent
tenaztenacious

Handpicked for you:

  • 80 Ways to Describe Your Dream in Spanish
  • A Massive List of Spanish Adjectives and How To Use Them

Common Phrases To Talk About Sleeping and Dreaming in Spanish

If you need some ready-to-go phrases, these are common among Spanish-speakers.

How To Say ‘I’m Sleepy’ in Spanish

Spanish English
Estoy con sueño.I am sleepy.
Estoy somnoliento.I am sleepy.
Me estoy cayendo de sueño.I’m falling asleep.
Me muero de sueño.I’m dying of tiredness.
Tengo ganas de dormir.I feel like sleeping.
Tengo muchísimo sueño.I am very sleepy.
Tengo mucho sueñoI am very sleepy.
Tengo sueño.I am sleepy.
Ya no puedo más.I can’t take it anymore.

And if you’re well-rested, just say: Estoy descansado(a) or Estoy bien descansado(a).

And if you want to say “I can’t sleep” just say: No puedo dormir.

How To Say ‘Goodnight’ in Spanish

Spanish English
¡Dulces sueños!Sweet dreams!
¡Felices sueños!Happy dreams!
¡Hasta mañana si Dios quiere!See you tomorrow, God willing!
¡Hasta mañana!See you tomorrow!
¡Linda noche!Sweet night!
¡Mañana será otro día!Tomorrow will be another day!
¡Nos vemos mañana!See you tomorrow!
¡Qué descanses!Have a good rest!
¡Qué duermas bien!Sleep well!
¡Qué sueñes con los angelitos!May you dream with the angels!
¡Qué pases buenas noches!Have a good night!
¡Que sueñes conmigo!May you dream of me!

You can also have a look at this video with the bilingual version of the famous bedtime story Goodnight Moon/Buenas Noches Luna.

Or listen to this famous lullaby that kids in Mexico used to fall asleep with: Hasta mañana. 

certified teachers
free Spanish class button
Homeschool Spanish Academy

And what if you want to send the kids to bed? 

How To Say ‘Go to bed’ in Spanish

Spanish English
¡A dormir!Go to sleep!
¡A la cama!Go to bed!
¡Acuéstate!Go to bed!
¡Duérmete!Go to sleep!
¡Un baño y a la cama!A bath and off to bed!
¡Vete a dormir!Go to sleep!
Ya es hora de acostarse.It’s time to go to bed.
Ya es hora de dormir.It’s time to go to sleep.

And what about if you’re at a gathering and want to tell everybody that you’re going to bed?

How To Say ‘I’m going to bed’ in Spanish

Spanish English
Me quiero echar unos cinco.(informal) I want to have a nap (of 5 minutes).
Me voy a acostar.I’m going to bed.
Me voy a descansar.I’m going to rest.
Me voy a dormir un rato.I’m going to have a nap.
Me voy a dormir.I’m going to sleep.
Me voy a echar un coyotito.Infml. I’m going to have a nap. (i’m going to take a coyotito)
Me voy a la cama.I’m going to bed.
Me voy al baile de las sábanas blancas.Infml. I’m off to dance on the white sheets.
Me voy al sobre.Infml. (literal: I’m off to the envelope.) I’m going to hit the hay.
Voy a echar una pestañita.Infml. I’m going to have a nap.

Handpicked for you:

  • It’s Bedtime! Say ‘Goodnight’ in Spanish and 40+ Sleepy Phrases

And do you know what to say if you meet someone early in the morning?

How To Ask ‘Did you sleep well?’ in Spanish

Spanish English
¿Cómo dormiste?How did you sleep?
¿Cómo amaneciste?(Lit. How did you wake up?) How did you sleep?
¿Cómo pasaste la noche?How did you spend the night?
¿Pasaste una buena noche?Did you have a good night?
¿Tuviste una buena noche?Did you have a good night?
¿Dormiste bien?Did you sleep well?
“Did you have a good night?”

20 Spanish Idiomatic Expressions To Talk About Sleeping

Let’s have a look at some idiomatic expressions that you may use to impress your Spanish-speaking friends when talking about the realm of Morpheus.

1. Dormir como un tronco.

It literally means to sleep like a log. If you sleep like a log, you sleep intensely and deeply, and you probably didn’t hear your alarm clock in the morning.

No sé cómo lo hace, pero siempre duerme como un tronco.
I don’t know how he does it, but he always sleeps like a log.

2. Dormir a pierna suelta.

This expression also means to sleep soundly, with great satisfaction and happiness.

Mi perro no se preocupa de nada y duerme a pierna suelta.
My dog doesn’t worry about anything and sleeps soundly.

3. Pasar la noche en blanco.

If you pasas la noche en blanco it means that you’re not able to fall asleep and you probably suffer from insomnia.

Te ves horrible. ¿Pasaste la noche en blanco?
You look awful. Did you stay up the whole night?

4. Pasar la noche en vela.

This expression also means not being able to fall asleep. 

Estaba muy preocupada y pasé la noche en vela.
I was very worried and I stayed up all night.

5. Pasar una noche de perros.

It means having a really bad night and not being able to sleep. If you think of dogs waking up to every sound they hear you’ll understand why.

Después de lo que me dijo pasé una noche de perros.
After what he told me, I had a hell of a night.

6. Ser un dormilón.

It means to be a sleepyhead.

Mi bebé es un dormilón. No hace otra cosa. 
My baby is a sleepyhead. He does nothing else.

7. Dormir la mona.

It’s an informal expression that means to sleep off a hangover.

A dormir la mona muchachos. Mañana hay que trabajar.
Let’s sleep it off, guys. Tomorrow we have to work.

8. Dormir como un lirón.

Another expression that means to sleep like a log. It literally means to sleep like a dormouse.

Mi maestro de educación física me cansó tanto que dormí como un lirón.
My physical education teacher made me so tired that I slept like a log.

9. La vida es sueño.

It’s the title of a play by a Spanish playwright Calderón de la Barca that explores the famous literary motif that life is nothing but a dream. 

People use it nowadays, to question the meaning of life.

“¿Qué es la vida? Una ilusión,
una sombra, una ficción,
y el mayor bien es pequeño:
que toda la vida es sueño,
y los sueños, sueños son.”

― Pedro Calderón de la Barca, La vida es sueño

“What is this life? A frenzy, an illusion,
A shadow, a delirium, a fiction.
The greatest good’s but little, and this life
Is but a dream, and dreams are only dreams.”

10. Dormir como una marmota.

To sleep like a top, to sleep very well.

Después del maratón, dormí como una marmota.
After the marathon, I slept like a log.

11. Pegarse las sábanas a alguien.

It means to oversleep, to sleep longer than one has intended.

Lo siento, se me pegaron las sábanas y no pude levantarme.
Sorry, I overslept and I couldn’t get up.

12. Dormir al raso.

This expression means to sleep out in the open.

Pasaremos dos semanas en el bosque y dormiremos al raso.
We will spend two weeks in the forest and we will sleep out in the open.

13. Dormir como un bendito.

To sleep like a baby.

Quisiera poder dormir como un bendito.
I would like to sleep like a baby.

14. Dormir como un santo.

Another expression that means to sleep like a baby. Apparently, the saints have nothing to worry about and can enjoy a sound sleep.

Mi hermana duerme como un santo.
My sister sleeps like a saint.

15. Dormirla.

It’s an informal expression that means to sleep it off after a party with too many high spirits.

Oye chico, ya fue suficiente. Ahora a dormirla.
Hey kid, that’s enough. Now it’s time to sleep it off.

16. Dormir la siesta.

To take a nap. This expression is very common in Spain.

Me quiero dormir la siesta.
I want to have a nap.

17. Dormirse en/sobre los laureles.

To rest on one’s laurels. It means to depend too much on one past success and make no further efforts. 

Ganamos pero no nos podemos dormir sobre los laureles.
We won but we cannot rest on our laurels.

18. Ser de poco dormir.

To not need much sleep. 

Mi jefe es de poco dormir. Manda correos a las 3 de la mañana.
My boss is a short sleeper. He sends emails at 3 o’clock in the morning.

19. Dormir a sueño suelto.

It means to sleep intensely and with tranquility.

Ella duerme a sueño suelto en cuanto se mete en la cama.
She falls deeply asleep as soon as she gets in bed.

20. Dormir a cortinas verdes.

This expression means to sleep out in the open.

Me gusta viajar y dormir a cortinas verdes.
I love to travel and sleep in the open field.

21. Quedarse dormido.

To oversleep.

Lo siento maestra por llegar tarde. Me quedé dormido.
Sorry teacher for being late. I overslept.

22. Dormir el sueño de justos.

To sleep the sleep of the righteous. The same as with saints and blessed, the righteous have nothing to worry about and can enjoy a good and sound sleep.

Hicieron lo que pudieron. Ahora pueden dormir el sueño de justos.
They did what they could. Now they can sleep the sleep of the righteous.

23. Vivaquear

To spend the night outdoors.

A mi papá le encantaba vivaquear.
My dad loved bivouacking.

Practice Sleep Words in Spanish With a Native Speaker!

No te duermas en los laureles—and practice your Spanish vocabulary with a native speaker! If you’re ready to start today, sign up now for a free trial class at Homeschool Spanish Academy! 

Think about all the benefits being bilingual brings. For example, do you want to earn more money?

Then don’t skip your Spanish lessons and do daily practice. According to a study conducted by The Economist, a person can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $125,000 extra just by knowing a foreign language alone.

Let our friendly and professional teachers from Guatemala help you reach your fluency goals and practice the sleep words in Spanish in a 1-to-1 conversation! 
Check out our affordable pricing and flexible programs!

certified teachers
free Spanish class button
Homeschool Spanish Academy

Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these

Sharon K, Parent of 3

“This is the best way for your kid to learn Spanish. It’s one-on-one, taught by native Spanish speakers, and uses a curriculum.”

– Sharon K, Parent of 3

- Karie Ann, Parent of 3

“It’s a great way to learn Spanish, from native Spanish speakers in a 1-on-1 environment. It’s been fairly easy to schedule classes around my daughter’s other classes. The best value for us has been ordering multiple classes at a time. All the instructors have been great!”

– Cindy D, Parent of 3

Erica P. Parent of 1

“HSA offers very affordable, quality, one on one classes with a native speaker. My son has greatly benefited from taking classes. We have seen his confidence increase as well as his pronunciation improve, because he learns from a native Spanish speaker. HSA has quick, personal customer service. Our family has been very pleased with our experience so far!”

– Erica P. Parent of 1

Get more free Spanish vocabulary lessons!

  • Llegar vs Llevar in Spanish: What’s the Difference?
  • Ordinal Numbers in Spanish
  • Say ‘By the Way’ in Spanish (and Other Useful Idioms for Conversation)
  • ‘Haber De’ vs ‘Haber Que’ in Spanish: What’s the Difference?
  • Master the 18 Spanish Tenses (and Take Our Cheat Sheet With You)
  • Spelling Words in Spanish: Lessons and Lists with “J”
  • Why ‘Ahorita’ in Spanish Almost Never Means ‘Now’
  • The Ultimate Guide to 200+ Sleep Words in Spanish
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Olga Put
Olga Put
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
I'm a Spanish philologist, teacher, and freelance writer with a Master's degree in Humanities from Madrid. I speak Polish, Spanish, and English fluently, and want to get better in Portuguese and German. A lover of literature, and Mexican spicy cuisine, I've lived in Poland, Spain, and Mexico and I'm currently living and teaching in Madeira, Portugal.
Olga Put
Latest posts by Olga Put (see all)
  • 10 Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Child’s Behavior - March 20, 2023
  • Equipping Your Child for Fluency: 8 Tips for Teaching Spanish - March 15, 2023
  • Llegar vs Llevar in Spanish: What’s the Difference? - March 12, 2023
Spanish Instruction spanish vocabulary
0

Related Posts

mission trip Spanish

45+ Mission Trip Spanish Phrases You Need To Know

December 23, 2021
Read More
Spanish quotes

44 Essential Spanish Quotes and Proverbs to Fuel Your Motivation

October 21, 2021
Read More
Spanish body parts

Spanish Body Parts: Vocabulary, Idioms, and Culture

January 4, 2022
Read More
Spanish greetings

Spanish 101: Greetings and Farewells

May 2, 2022
Read More

Leave a Comment! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

20 Habits Happy Families Have (But Never Talk About)Previous Post
How to Build a Stronger Relationship With Your Child's TeacherNext Post

About Us

With over 10 years of experience, HSA is where your goals merge with our teachers’ passion: to improve your Spanish fluency. Custom-tailored to fit your needs, you choose your program, schedule, favorite teachers, pace of learning, and more.. Learn More

Resources

  • About
  • Get a Transcript
  • FAQs
  • How it Works
  • Partners

Recent Posts

  • 5 Fun and Engaging Ways to Introduce Spanish to Your Preschooler
    5 Fun and Engaging Ways to Introduce Spanish to Your Preschooler
    March 23, 2023
    Are you looking for engaging ways to...
  • Forget the Easter Bunny: Easter Traditions in Latin America
    Forget the Easter Bunny: Easter Traditions in Latin America
    March 22, 2023
    One of the most celebrated festivities in the...

Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Contact Us© 2022 HSA. All rights reserved.