Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to sleep" in Italian: dormire
dormire
To sleep in Italian is dormire (dor-MEE-reh). Present forms: io dormo, tu dormi, lui/lei dorme, noi dormiamo. Dormi bene! means sleep well.
Late night with flatmates
Io dormo sul divano se arriva qualcuno.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce dormire
Say it
dor-MEE-reh
/dorˈmi.re/
Dormire stresses MEE: dor-MEE-reh. Dormo is DOR-moh.
"to sleep" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| dormire | to sleep The infinitive. | The infinitive. |
| dormo / dormi / dorme | I sleep / you sleep / he-she sleeps Present singular. | Present singular. |
| dormire bene | to sleep well Wish or description. | Wish or description. |
| andare a dormire | to go to bed / go sleep Bedtime routine. | Bedtime routine. |
How to use dormire in real life
- 1Late night with flatmates
Io dormo sul divano se arriva qualcuno.
I'll sleep on the sofa if someone arrives.
Dormo is the io present.
- 2Checking on a guest
Dormi bene in questa stanza?
Do you sleep well in this room?
Dormi is the tu form.
- 3Talking about a baby
Il bambino dorme finalmente.
The baby is finally sleeping.
Dorme for lui/lei.
Mistakes English speakers make with dormire
Incorrect: Io dormire otto ore.
Correct: Dormo otto ore.
Conjugate: io dormo, not io dormire.
Incorrect: Lui dorma poco.
Correct: Lui dorme poco.
Indicative present is dorme; dorma is subjunctive.
Good to know
Italians wish dormi bene or sogni d'oro before bed among friends. Afternoon riposo still exists in some towns, but dormire usually means night sleep. On trains you may hear non riesco a dormire when the carriage is noisy.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Settling into a hostel dorm
ChatPal
A che ora di solito dormi?
What time do you usually sleep?
You
Dormo verso mezzanotte, se non c'è rumore.
I sleep around midnight if there's no noise.
ChatPal
Io dormo con i tappi per le orecchie.
I sleep with earplugs.
You
Buona idea. Stasera voglio dormire davvero.
Good idea. Tonight I really want to sleep.
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 Italian
How do I say I sleep?
Dormo. Add a time: dormo poco, dormo otto ore.
What is dormi bene?
Sleep well—informal goodnight wish.
How do I say go to sleep?
Vai a dormire, or andiamo a dormire for let's go to bed.
Is dormire regular?
Yes, a regular -ire verb: dormo, dormi, dorme, dormiamo, dormite, dormono.
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