Italian · Body & Health

"I can't sleep" in Italian: non riesco a dormire

non riesco a dormire

Say it: nohn RYES-koh ah dor-MEE-rehphrase/non ˈrjɛs.ko a dorˈmi.re/

I can't sleep in Italian is non riesco a dormire. Use it for hot nights, nerves, or jet lag when sleep will not come.

Hotel heat

Con questo caldo non riesco a dormire.
In this heat I can't sleep.
Practice Italian out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce non riesco a dormire

Say it

nohn RYES-koh ah dor-MEE-reh

/non ˈrjɛs.ko a dorˈmi.re/

Non riesco a dormire: nohn RYES-koh ah dor-MEE-reh. Stress RYES and MEE.

"I can't sleep" in Italian: quick reference

ItalianEnglish
non riesco a dormireI can't sleep

Default.

stanotte non riesco a dormiretonight I can't sleep

Night pin.

non riesco più a dormireI can't sleep anymore

Ongoing.

fatico a dormireI struggle to sleep

Softer alternate.

How to use non riesco a dormire in real life

  1. 1Hotel heat

    Con questo caldo non riesco a dormire.

    In this heat I can't sleep.

    Climate.

  2. 2Before an exam

    Sono troppo nervosa: non riesco a dormire.

    I'm too nervous: I can't sleep.

    Anxiety.

  3. 3Jet lag chat

    Da ieri non riesco a dormire bene.

    Since yesterday I can't sleep well.

    Travel.

Mistakes English speakers make with non riesco a dormire

Incorrect: Non posso dormire. (as the only headword)

Correct: Non riesco a dormire.

Train the set phrase with riesco a.

Incorrect: Non riesco dormire.

Correct: Non riesco a dormire.

Need a before the infinitive.

Good to know

Italians complain about heat and noise with non riesco a dormire in summer cities. Friends suggest una camomilla or apri la finestra. Doctors hear it in insomnia visits too.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Texting at 2 a.m. during a heat wave

  1. ChatPal

    Sei ancora sveglio?

    Are you still awake?

  2. You

    non riesco a dormire.

    Yes—I can't sleep.

  3. ChatPal

    Anch'io: non riesco a dormire col ventilatore rotto.

    Me too: I can't sleep with the fan broken.

  4. You

    Domani compro del ghiaccio.

    Tomorrow I'll buy some ice.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"I can't sleep" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "I can't sleep" in Italian

Exact phrase?

Non riesco a dormire.

Tonight?

Stanotte non riesco a dormire.

Why a?

Riesco a + infinitive.

Softer?

Fatico a dormire.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

Keep reading

Ready to say it out loud?

ChatPal is a voice-first app for practicing real conversations in Italian. Try real scenarios and get personalized feedback on your speaking.

Start with 7 days free.