Spanish · Everyday Verbs
"to wake up" in Spanish: despertarse
despertarse
To wake up in Spanish is despertarse. Say me despierto and despiértate. Keep the reflexive: me, te, se.
Alarm
Me despierto a las siete.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce despertarse
Say it
dehs-pehr-TAHR-seh / meh dehs-PYEHR-toh
/des.peɾ.ˈtaɾ.se/
dehs-pehr-TAHR-seh. Me despierto is meh dehs-PYEHR-toh.
"to wake up" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| despertarse | to wake up Infinitive (reflexive). | Infinitive (reflexive). |
| me despierto | I wake up Present; e→ie. | Present; e→ie. |
| despiértate | wake up Informal command. | Informal command. |
| se despierta | he/she wakes up Third person. | Third person. |
| ¿a qué hora te despiertas? | what time do you wake up? Routine ask. | Routine ask. |
How to use despertarse in real life
- 1Alarm
Me despierto a las siete.
I wake up at seven.
Me despierto.
- 2Morning nudge
Despiértate. Ya es tarde.
Wake up. It's already late.
Despiértate command.
- 3Routine
¿A qué hora te despiertas los lunes?
What time do you wake up on Mondays?
Te despiertas with tú.
Mistakes English speakers make with despertarse
Incorrect: Yo despierto a las seis (missing me).
Correct: Me despierto a las seis.
Reflexive: me despierto.
Incorrect: Yo me desperto temprano.
Correct: Yo me despierto temprano.
Stem change: despierto, not desperto.
Good to know
Despertarse is wake up by yourself. Despertar a alguien is wake someone else. Latin American schedules vary—ask ¿A qué hora te despiertas? without assuming.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Planning an early trip
ChatPal
¿Te despiertas a las cinco?
Do you wake up at five?
You
Sí. Me despierto con alarma.
Yes. I wake up with an alarm.
ChatPal
Yo también me despierto temprano.
I wake up early too.
You
Dejamos el café listo anoche.
We left the coffee ready last night.
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 wake up" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to wake up" in Spanish
How do I say I wake up?
Me despierto.
Why me?
Despertarse is reflexive: me, te, se.
Wake up! (informal)
¡Despiértate!
How do you pronounce despierto?
dehs-PYEHR-toh — ye is one beat.
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
Keep reading
- Y in Spanish AlphabetY in spanish alphabet. Learn how y works in the Spanish alphabet, from its names (ye and i griega) to its dual consonant and vowel pronunciation
- How to Practice Speaking Spanish with AI the Smart WayLearn how to practice speaking Spanish with AI using practical routines, realistic scenarios, and feedback loops that actually build real-world fluency.
