All About 'Dormir,' an Irregular French Verb Like 'Partir,' 'Sortir'

Dormir ("to sleep") is a very common, irregular -ir verb in the French language. The verb is part of an important set of irregular -ir verbs that share conjugation patterns.

Within irregular -ir verbs, two groups exhibit similar characteristics and conjugation patterns. Then there is a final, large category of extremely irregular -ir verbs that follow no pattern.

Dormir lies in the first group of irregular -ir verbs that display a pattern. It includes dormir, partir, sortir, sentir, servir, mentir, and all their derivatives, such as endormir. 

Below is a comparison chart showing present-tense conjugations of this group. The side-by-side comparison illustrates that the conjugations are identical. Generally speaking, most French verbs ending in -mir, -tir, or -vir are conjugated this way. 

Scroll down to the to bottom to see a full set of dormir's simple conjugations; the compound tenses consist of a form of the auxiliary verb avoir with the past participle dormi.

Side-by-Side Comparison of Present-Tense Conjugations

Expressions With 'Dormir'

• avoir envie de dormir > to feel sleepy / to feel like sleeping
• dormir d'un sommeil profond / lourd / de plomb > to be a heavy sleeper / to be fast asleep, to be sound asleep, to be in a deep sleep
• dormir à poings fermés > to be fast asleep, to be sleeping like a baby
• dormir comme un ange > to be sound asleep / to sleep like a baby
• dormir comme une bûche / un loir / une marmotte / une souche / un sabot > to sleep like a log
• Tu dors debout. > You can't (even) keep awake. / You are dead on your feet.
• Tu peux dormir sur tes deux oreilles. > There's no reason for you to worry, you can sleep [soundly] at night.
• Je ne dors que d'un œil. > I sleep with one eye open. / I can hardly sleep. / I hardly get a wink of sleep.
• Qui dort dîne. (proverbe) >  He who sleeps forgets his hunger.
• Ils ont laissé dormir le projet. > They left the project on the back burner.
• Ce n'est pas le moment de dormir ! > This is the moment for action. / Now's the time for action ! 

SIMPLE CONJUGATIONS OF THE IRREGULAR FRENCH VERB 'DORMIR"

Additional Resources

'Dormir' all tenses
Using 'Sortir'
'Partir' all tenses
Using 'Partir'
'Partir' vs. 'Sortir'