isn't there a reflexive for to put to sleep?

Question

I'm trying to say i put myself to sleep, and i think there's a reflexive but i can't remember it, and all the translators don't have it.

Answer 1

In American English "put to sleep" means "to give a lethal injection to" and it is used almost exclusively for pets or animals.

In English you can say...

• I put myself to bed
• I went to bed
• I went to sleep
• I fell asleep

But you generally should not say "I put myself to sleep" because that sounds like you went to the veterinarian's office and asked them to give you lethal injection.

Typically, we say of our pets, "I had my dog put to sleep." Of humans, we say "He was given a lethal injection." We do not generally use "put to sleep" in reference to humans.

Note that going to bed and going to sleep are different. When you go to bed it means that you put yourself in the bed with the intention of going to sleep. However, you may not actually go to sleep until hours later (if you are having trouble going to sleep for some reason, like you drank too much coffee).

If you are intending to rest in the bed because that is a comfortable place to read a book or watch TV, then one says "lie down in bed" or states the activity that will be done "in bed."

• I'm going to lie down in bed and watch TV
• I'm going to watch TV in bed

And if you get lie and lay confused, don't worry. Few English speakers -- myself included -- can keep lie / lay straight either.

I realize, of course, you are asking for the Spanish, but I thought it needed to have a good English explanation, too. - webdunce, Jan 20, 2010

You do, indeed, have "lie" ¨..."straight"....you have used it correctly. - Janice, Jan 20, 2010

Ha-ha! I put myself to sleep. If only it were that easy on some nights. - 008f2974, Jan 20, 2010

Answer 2

But you generally should not say "I put myself to sleep"

...but Webdunce....I have been putting myself to sleep since childhood by counting sheep. I count them as they jump over a fence, just as my Mother taught me to do

That aside, does not "dormirse" translate to "fall asleep" ? .."to go to sleep"..? and even occasionaly "to oversleep" ??

According the Gran Diccionario Oxford, the second meaning (b) is

b (no despertarse) to oversleep, sleep in (AmE)

And there is even another one (d)

d (fam) (distraerse, descuidarse): no te duermas don't waste any time

Answer 3

maybe disponerse a dormir could work, since you do what you can to go asleep

Me dispuse a dormir = I put myself to sleep.

Answer 4

Dormirse. (the link goes to dormir but you seem to know how reflexives work. If not, here is a lesson for you).

BUT you may be thinking of putting yourself to bed: acostarse

And do remember that the se is just there to show that it is being used as a reflexive so you would put yourself to bed: me acuesto

The conjugation for acostarse is at the bottom of the page (with a link to the full conjugations) and it is very nice - it shows you the verb complete with the reflexive pronouns!

Welcome to the forum!

Grr, I take the time to type out a full answer and everyone ninjas me!

Answer 5

I think it's: dormirse, because putting "se" on the end of a verb means you did it to yourself, so it must be dormirse. I had to think about that for a second, too! ¡Espero que sea gran aydua!

you can't just put se on the end of a word and make it a reflexive, but as it turns out, dormirse is a reflexive verb. - dylanchurch, Jan 20, 2010

Answer 6

Dormirse is put oneself to sleep. Acostarse is put oneself to bed.

thanks, actually that's the one i was looking for. - dylanchurch, Jan 20, 2010