Spanish word

sueño

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈsweɲo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounsleepiness

Example

Tengo sueño.

I am sleepy.

Illustration for sueño (sleepiness)

More examples

No pude estudiar porque tenía mucho sueño.

I couldn't study because I was very sleepy.

Core concept

Heavy eyelids about to close.

Common phrases

  • tener mucho sueño

    be very sleepy

  • quitar el sueño

    shake off sleepiness

  • no poder con el sueño

    be overcome by sleepiness

Similar words

fatiga: Severe bodily exhaustion after long exertion, with very low energy and aching muscles.
cansancio: General physical or mental tiredness that makes activity slower and effort harder.
modorra: Light drowsiness causing a dreamy, sluggish feeling and low motivation.

Definition in Spanish

Sensación de sueño o somnolencia que lleva a querer dormir; palabra que también puede nombrar el dormir o los sueños.

Word origin

From Latin somnus ('sleep') and somnium ('dream'), sueño preserves both the sense of sleepiness and the related senses of sleep and dream.

Usage tips

  • The letter ñ is a different letter from n, so sueño (with ñ) is unrelated to forms with n such as yo sueno 'I sound', and dropping the tilde changes the word.

Other meanings

  • dreamnoun
  • sleepnoun

Opposites

  • desveloinsomnianoun

Related words

  • sueñitoshort napnoun
  • soñolientodrowsyadjective

Word lists with this word