Impariamo alcune parole ed espressioni relative al sonno e dormire – in inglese.
a) slumber – If you sleep (especially) lightly
b) nap – If you sleep for a short time to rest, especially during the day
c) doze off – If you fall asleep without planning to
d) drowse – If you are sleepy or half-asleep
e) repose – If you lie or rest to relax
f) rest – If you refresh yourself by sleeping or lying down
g) snooze – If you take a brief light sleep
h) snore – If you breathe noisily while you sleep
i) dream – If you experience thoughts, images or emotions while you sleep
j) have a nightmare – If you have a bad and scary dream
Now use the expressions to fill in the gaps. You will not have to use all the expressions.
1) I really can’t sleep in the same room with you. You ………. very loudly.
2) Please wake me up at 7 if I ………. .
3) I didn’t want to ………. during the lecture but I could barely keep my eyes open.
4) Do your children still ………. in the afternoon?
5) Don’t watch that horror movie before going to bed. You will ………. .
Answers: 1) h, 2) c, 3) d, 4) b, 5) j
Fill in the gaps to find the meaning of the following ‘sleep’ idioms.
a) sleep something off
b) lose sleep over
c) not sleep a wink
d) sleep like a log
e) drift off to sleep
f) sleep in
g) sleep around the clock
h) sleep around
i) sleep over
j) sleep tight
k) sleep through
l) sleep (together) with
m) sleep on it
n) beauty sleep
1) When you worry too much about something you ………. it.
2) When you oversleep or stay in bed before getting up longer ………. .
3) When you spend the night at a friend’s place you ………. .
4) When your sleep is warm and safe you ………. .
5) When you sleep for a very long time you ………. .
6) When you have an intimate relationship with someone you ………. someone.
7) When you fall asleep without planning to you ………. .
8) When you sleep very deeply you ………. .
9) When you sleep before deciding something you ………. .
10) When you do not wake up when something happens you ………. it.
11) When you have several partners at the same time you ………. .
12) When you sleep while the effects of alcohol pass away you ………. .
13) Whey you sleep to feel healthy and look attractive it is your ………. .
Answers: 1) b, 2) f, 3) i, 4) j, 5) g, 6) l, 7) e, 8) d, 9) m, 10) k, 11) h, 12) a, 13) n
Now match the two parts of a dialogue.
1) A: Nothing ever wakes me up.
2) A: I need your answer as soon as possible.
3) A: I’m so worried about tomorrow.
4) A: I came by your flat last night but you weren’t at home.
5) A: I was really excited about the wedding and I stayed up all night.
6) A: Have you met my new girlfriend?
7) A: I shouldn’t have drunk so much last night. I feel terrible.
8) A: It was a national holiday yesterday.
a) B: I slept over at my friend’s house.
b) B: I couldn’t sleep a wink either.
c) B: Just don’t lose any sleep over it.
d) B: You’ll sleep it off, don’t worry.
e) B: Just let me sleep on it.
f) B: It was great that I could finally sleep in.
g) B: I just heard she used to sleep around a lot.
h) B: I know. You sleep like a log.
Answers: 1) h, 2) e, 3) c, 4) a, 5) b, 6) g, 7) d, 8) f
slumber – sonnecchiare / dormire leggero
nap – pisolino / sonnellino / riposino pomeridiano
doze off – appisolarsi / addormentarsi
drowse – assonnarsi / essere mezzo addormentato
repose – riposare / stare in quiete rest – riposare / fare una pausa
snooze – sonnecchiare / fare un pisolino
snore – russare dream – sognare
have a nightmare – fare un incubo
to sleep something off – smaltire dormendo / dormire per riprendersi
to lose sleep over something – perdere il sonno per qualcosa / stare sveglio per le preoccupazioni
to not sleep a wink – non chiudere occhio
to sleep like a log – dormire come un sasso / dormire profondamente
to drift off to sleep – addormentarsi / scivolare nel sonno
to sleep in – dormire fino a tardi / poltrire a letto
to sleep around the clock – dormire tutto il giorno / dormire ventiquattr’ore di fila
to sleep around – avere rapporti sessuali con molti / andare a letto con tutti
to sleep over – dormire da qualcuno / passare la notte da qualcuno
to sleep tight – dormire bene / dormire profondamente
to sleep through – dormire senza svegliarsi / dormire durante qualcosa
to sleep (together) with – fare l’amore con qualcuno / andare a letto con qualcuno
to sleep on it – dormirci sopra / pensarci dopo una notte di sonno
beauty sleep – sonno di bellezza
