French · Everyday Verbs
"to sleep" in French: dormir
dormir
To sleep in French is dormir. Present forms include je dors, tu dors, il/elle dort. Dormir bien means to sleep well.
Late night
Je dors tôt quand je travaille demain.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce dormir
Say it
dor-MEER
/dɔʁ.miʁ/
Dormir is dor-MEER. Dors and dort sound like dor. Soft French r on the infinitive.
"to sleep" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| dormir | to sleep Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je dors / tu dors / il dort | I sleep / you sleep / he sleeps Present. | Present. |
| dormir bien | to sleep well Quality of rest. | Quality of rest. |
| aller dormir | to go to sleep Heading to bed. | Heading to bed. |
How to use dormir in real life
- 1Late night
Je dors tôt quand je travaille demain.
I sleep early when I work tomorrow.
Je dors = I sleep.
- 2Hotel noise
Tu dors malgré le bruit ?
Are you sleeping despite the noise?
Tu dors.
- 3Baby talk
Le bébé dort enfin.
The baby is finally sleeping.
Il/elle dort.
Mistakes English speakers make with dormir
Incorrect: Je sleepe.
Correct: Je dors.
Conjugate dormir: je dors.
Incorrect: Je suis dormir.
Correct: Je dors. / Je vais dormir.
No être + infinitive here; use the present or aller + infinitive.
Good to know
Bonne nuit is the goodnight wish; people also say dors bien to someone heading to bed. Siesta culture is lighter in northern France than in the south in summer heat.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ending a long day
ChatPal
Tu dors où ce soir ?
Where are you sleeping tonight?
You
Chez des amis. Je dors sur le canapé.
At friends'. I'm sleeping on the sofa.
ChatPal
Dors bien alors.
Sleep well then.
You
Toi aussi. À demain.
You too. See you tomorrow.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to sleep" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to sleep" in French
What is to sleep in French?
Dormir.
How do I say I sleep?
Je dors.
How do I say go to sleep?
Aller dormir, or se coucher for going to bed.
How do you pronounce dormir?
Dor-MEER.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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