Master ‘Dormir’: Conjugation Guide You Won’t Believe!

Understanding Spanish verbs, particularly how to conjugate dormir, is fundamental for anyone learning the language. SpanishDict, a popular online resource, offers various tools to assist with verb conjugation, but mastering the nuances requires understanding the underlying concepts. Verb conjugation patterns, such as those codified by the Real Academia Española, dictate how dormir changes based on subject and tense. This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough for anyone seeking to confidently conjugate dormir and use it correctly in conversations, bridging the gap between rote memorization and true fluency, even for those using methods taught by Professor Juan Perez in his renowned Spanish courses.

Mastering "Dormir": The Ultimate Conjugation Guide

This guide will help you confidently conjugate dormir, the Spanish verb "to sleep." We’ll break down each tense with clear examples and helpful tips.

Understanding the Basics of "Dormir"

Before diving into conjugation, let’s cover the verb’s essential characteristics.

• "Dormir" is an irregular -ir verb in Spanish. This means its conjugation follows patterns with some deviations.
• The stem of "dormir" changes in some tenses (o to ue). This is crucial to remember when conjugating.

Present Tense Conjugation

The present tense indicates actions happening now. Here’s how to conjugate dormir in the present tense:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example	Translation
Yo	duermo	Yo duermo ocho horas.	I sleep eight hours.
Tú	duermes	¿Tú duermes bien?	Do you sleep well?
Él/Ella/Ud.	duerme	Él duerme en el sofá.	He sleeps on the sofa.
Nosotros	dormimos	Nosotros dormimos hasta tarde.	We sleep in late.
Vosotros	dormís	Vosotros dormís poco.	You (plural, informal) sleep little.
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.	duermen	Ellos duermen en habitaciones separadas.	They sleep in separate rooms.

Key Takeaways for Present Tense:

• Notice the stem change (o to ue) in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
• Pay attention to the accent mark on the vosotros form (dormís).

Preterite (Past) Tense Conjugation

The preterite tense is used for completed actions in the past. Here’s how to conjugate dormir in the preterite tense:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example	Translation
Yo	dormí	Yo dormí muy bien anoche.	I slept very well last night.
Tú	dormiste	Tú dormiste poco antes del examen.	You slept little before the exam.
Él/Ella/Ud.	durmió	Ella durmió hasta las diez.	She slept until ten.
Nosotros	dormimos	Nosotros dormimos en el hotel.	We slept in the hotel.
Vosotros	dormisteis	Vosotros dormisteis en sacos de dormir.	You (plural, informal) slept in sleeping bags.
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.	durmieron	Ellos durmieron en la tienda de campaña.	They slept in the tent.

Key Takeaways for Preterite Tense:

• The stem change (o to u) occurs in the él/ella/Ud. and ellos/ellas/Uds. forms.
• Remember that the preterite describes finished actions.

Imperfect Tense Conjugation

The imperfect tense is used for habitual actions or descriptions in the past.

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example	Translation
Yo	dormía	Yo dormía la siesta de pequeño.	I used to take a nap when I was little.
Tú	dormías	Tú dormías mucho cuando estabas enfermo.	You used to sleep a lot when you were sick.
Él/Ella/Ud.	dormía	Él dormía con la ventana abierta.	He used to sleep with the window open.
Nosotros	dormíamos	Nosotros dormíamos en literas.	We used to sleep in bunk beds.
Vosotros	dormíais	Vosotros dormíais en casa de vuestros abuelos.	You (plural, informal) used to sleep at your grandparents’ house.
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.	dormían	Ellos dormían en el tren.	They used to sleep on the train.

Key Takeaways for Imperfect Tense:

• The imperfect tense describes ongoing or repeated actions.
• There are no stem changes in the imperfect tense.

Future Tense Conjugation

The future tense describes actions that will happen in the future.

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example	Translation
Yo	dormiré	Yo dormiré ocho horas esta noche.	I will sleep eight hours tonight.
Tú	dormirás	Tú dormirás cuando estés cansado.	You will sleep when you are tired.
Él/Ella/Ud.	dormirá	Él dormirá después del trabajo.	He will sleep after work.
Nosotros	dormiremos	Nosotros dormiremos en el avión.	We will sleep on the plane.
Vosotros	dormiréis	Vosotros dormiréis en un hotel de lujo.	You (plural, informal) will sleep in a luxury hotel.
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.	dormirán	Ellos dormirán cuando lleguen.	They will sleep when they arrive.

Key Takeaways for Future Tense:

• The future tense uses the infinitive (dormir) as its base.
• The endings are the same for all regular verbs.

Conditional Tense Conjugation

The conditional tense describes what would happen under certain circumstances.

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example	Translation
Yo	dormiría	Yo dormiría más si pudiera.	I would sleep more if I could.
Tú	dormirías	Tú dormirías en la calle si no tuvieras casa.	You would sleep on the street if you didn’t have a house.
Él/Ella/Ud.	dormiría	Él dormiría hasta tarde los fines de semana.	He would sleep in late on weekends.
Nosotros	dormiríamos	Nosotros dormiríamos en una hamaca.	We would sleep in a hammock.
Vosotros	dormiríais	Vosotros dormiríais con la luz apagada.	You (plural, informal) would sleep with the light off.
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.	dormirían	Ellos dormirían en la playa.	They would sleep on the beach.

Key Takeaways for Conditional Tense:

• Similar to the future tense, the conditional uses the infinitive as its base.
• The conditional endings are added to the infinitive.

Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood expresses doubt, wishes, uncertainty, or emotions. We’ll look at the present subjunctive and imperfect subjunctive.

Present Subjunctive Conjugation

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example	Translation
Yo	duerma	Espero que yo duerma bien.	I hope that I sleep well.
Tú	duermas	Es importante que tú duermas ocho horas.	It’s important that you sleep eight hours.
Él/Ella/Ud.	duerma	Quizás él duerma en el coche.	Maybe he will sleep in the car.
Nosotros	durmamos	Quiero que nosotros durmamos temprano.	I want us to sleep early.
Vosotros	durmáis	Dudo que vosotros durmáis tan poco.	I doubt that you (plural, informal) sleep so little.
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.	duerman	Ojalá que ellos duerman mejor.	I hope they sleep better.

Key Takeaways for Present Subjunctive:

• Notice the stem change (o to ue) in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation

There are two valid conjugations for the Imperfect Subjunctive. Both are generally accepted and used. Here’s one version:

Pronoun	Conjugation	Example	Translation
Yo	durmiera	Si tuviera tiempo, durmiera más.	If I had time, I would sleep more.
Tú	durmieras	Si fueras un bebé, durmieras todo el día.	If you were a baby, you would sleep all day.
Él/Ella/Ud.	durmiera	Si estuviera cansado, durmiera ahora mismo.	If he were tired, he would sleep right now.
Nosotros	durmiéramos	Si pudiéramos, durmiéramos en la playa.	If we could, we would sleep on the beach.
Vosotros	durmierais	Si tuvierais sueño, durmierais ahora.	If you (plural, informal) were sleepy, you would sleep now.
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.	durmieran	Si estuvieran tranquilos, durmieran mejor.	If they were calm, they would sleep better.

Key Takeaways for Imperfect Subjunctive:

• The stem change is (o to u)
• Often used with "si" (if) clauses.

This comprehensive guide should empower you to conjugate dormir with confidence. Remember to practice regularly and refer back to this guide as needed!

So there you have it! Now you can confidently conjugate dormir and start dreaming in Spanish (pun intended!). Practice makes perfect, so keep at it and you’ll be fluent in no time.