dormir, endormir, rendormir

ByFast French

The French verbs dormir, endormir, and rendormir all relate to sleep but have distinct meanings and uses. They can be used in their transitive, intransitive, or pronominal forms.

1. Dormir (to sleep)

  • Meaning: To sleep.
  • Form: Intransitive (does not take a direct object).
  • Etymology: From Latin dormire, meaning “to sleep.”

Conjugation:

  • Present:
    Je dors, tu dors, il dort, nous dormons, vous dormez, ils dorment.
  • Passé Composé:
    J’ai dormi, tu as dormi, il a dormi, nous avons dormi, vous avez dormi, ils ont dormi.

Examples:

  • Je dors huit heures par nuit.
    (I sleep eight hours a night.)
  • Hier, j’ai dormi jusqu’à midi.
    (Yesterday, I slept until noon.)

2. Endormir (to put to sleep, to fall asleep)

  • Meaning:
  • Transitive: To put someone or something to sleep.
  • Pronominal (s’endormir): To fall asleep.
  • Etymology: From Latin in- (into) + dormire (to sleep).

Conjugation:

  • Present:
    J’endors, tu endors, il endort, nous endormons, vous endormez, ils endorment.
  • Passé Composé:
    J’ai endormi, tu as endormi, il a endormi, nous avons endormi, vous avez endormi, ils ont endormi.

Examples:

  • Transitive:
    La musique endort le bébé.
    (The music puts the baby to sleep.)
  • Pronominal:
    Je m’endors toujours devant la télé.
    (I always fall asleep in front of the TV.)
  • Hier, je me suis endormi à 22 heures.
    (Yesterday, I fell asleep at 10 p.m.)

3. Rendormir (to put back to sleep, to fall back asleep)

  • Meaning:
  • Transitive: To put someone or something back to sleep.
  • Pronominal (se rendormir): To fall back asleep.
  • Etymology: From Latin re- (again) + dormire (to sleep).

Conjugation:

  • Present:
    Je rendors, tu rendors, il rendort, nous rendormons, vous rendormez, ils rendorment.
  • Passé Composé:
    J’ai rendormi, tu as rendormi, il a rendormi, nous avons rendormi, vous avez rendormi, ils ont rendormi.

Examples:

  • Transitive:
    Elle a rendormi son enfant après le cauchemar.
    (She put her child back to sleep after the nightmare.)
  • Pronominal:
    Je me suis rendormi après le bruit.
    (I fell back asleep after the noise.)

Key Differences:

  • Dormir: Simply means “to sleep.”
  • Endormir: Focuses on the act of falling asleep or making someone sleep.
  • Rendormir: Focuses on returning to sleep or making someone sleep again.

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • verb: railler

    ByFast French

    Meaning of “Railler” The verb “railler” in French carries the primary meaning of mocking, ridiculing, or making fun of someone or something. When you “railler” someone, you are essentially poking fun at them in a light-hearted or sometimes even sarcastic manner. It’s a verb that conveys a sense of playful teasing, often without malice. Etymology…

  • Good, better, best

    ByFast French

    Translating “Good,” “Better,” and “Best” into French Adjectives like “good,” “better,” and “best” play an essential role in expressing quality and making comparisons. In French, these adjectives follow specific rules that every learner should understand. Good The French equivalent of “good” is bon (masculine singular), with forms that vary based on gender and number: Examples:…

  • Motif

    ByFast French

    1. Gender and Basic Definition “Motif” is a masculine noun in French, so it is always used with masculine articles and adjectives. For example: 2. Meanings of “Motif” The noun motif has several meanings in French, depending on the context. Here are the two most common ones: a. Reason or Cause In many cases, motif…

  • Verb: se souvenir de

    ByFast French

    “Se souvenir de” is the French verb meaning “to remember.” It is a reflexive verb and is always followed by “de,” or preceded by its equivalent “en.” Usage examples of “se souvenir de”: Using “En” to Replace “It” or “Them”: In French, the pronoun “en” is often employed with “se souvenir de” to replace previously…

  • asseoir & s’asseoir

    ByFast French

    The French verbs asseoir and s’asseoir both mean “to seat” or “to sit.” The verb asseoir is mostly used in the reflexive form s’asseoir, which means “to sit down.” It is an irregular verb with more than one accepted conjugation pattern. In modern French, the most commonly used form is based on the root assié-…

  • despite, in spite of

    ByFast French

    Both “despite” and “in spite of” can usually be translated into French with the same expressions. The most common translations are “malgré,” “en dépit de,” and “quand même.” Malgré “Malgré” is the most straightforward and frequent translation of “despite” and “in spite of.” It is followed directly by a noun or pronoun. Examples: En dépit…