Dormir Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Dormir (to sleep; dormirse = to fall asleep) is a very common Spanish verb and it is irregular: it has two stem changes. In the stressed forms the stem o becomes ue (duermo, duermes, duerme, duermen; subj. duerma). In the unstressed weak-stem forms the o becomes u: third-person preterite (durmió, durmieron), nosotros/vosotros subjunctive (durmamos, durmáis), the entire imperfect subjunctive (durmiera…) and the gerund durmiendo (not «dormiendo»).

Indicative Tenses of Dormir

Dormir in the Present (Presente)

Habits, current facts and general truths: Duermo ocho horas cada noche (I sleep eight hours every night).

Present tense rules →

Dormir in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: Anoche durmió como un tronco (Last night he slept like a log).

Preterite rules →

Dormir in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: Hoy he dormido muy poco (Today I have slept very little).

Present perfect rules →

Dormir in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De niño dormía con la luz encendida (As a child I used to sleep with the light on).

Imperfect rules →

Dormir in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando llegué, ya había dormido la siesta (When I arrived, he had already taken his nap).

Past perfect rules →

Dormir in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: Mañana dormiré hasta tarde (Tomorrow I will sleep in).

Future tense rules →

Dormir in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para medianoche ya habremos dormido un rato (By midnight we will have slept for a while).

Future perfect rules →

Dormir in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Yo dormiría más si pudiera (I would sleep more if I could).

Conditional rules →

Dormir in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Habría dormido mejor sin tanto ruido (I would have slept better without so much noise).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Dormir

Present Subjunctive of Dormir (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions: Espero que duermas bien esta noche (I hope you sleep well tonight).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Dormir (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Me alegra que hayas dormido bien (I'm glad you have slept well).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Dormir (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si durmieras más, estarías de mejor humor (If you slept more, you would be in a better mood).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Dormir (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubieras dormido antes, no estarías tan cansado (If you had slept earlier, you wouldn't be so tired).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Dormir

Affirmative Commands of Dormir (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and requests: ¡Duerme un poco, lo necesitas! (Get some sleep, you need it!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Dormir (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No duermas con el móvil en la mano (Don't sleep with your phone in your hand).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Dormir

• Dormir como un tronco - to sleep like a log (deeply, dead to the world)
• Dormir a pierna suelta - to sleep soundly, without a care
• Dormirse en los laureles - to rest on one's laurels
• Consultar algo con la almohada - to sleep on it, postpone a decision until the next day