Portuguese Phrase
Quando dormes?
Meaning
Literally ‘When do you sleep?’, it asks someone about the usual time they go to bed or take a nap. It is informal and assumes the speaker knows the listener well enough to use the ‘tu’ form.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation with friends, family members, or classmates in Portugal. It is not appropriate in formal settings or when speaking to someone you would address with ‘você’ or ‘senhor/a’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quandodormes?
Quando (interrogative adverb)
Used to ask about time; placed at the beginning of a question.
Dormes (2nd person singular present)
Verb ‘dormir’ conjugated for ‘tu’; the ending –es marks the informal ‘you’ used in Portugal.
Subject pronoun omission
In Portuguese the subject pronoun is usually dropped; the verb ending tells you who is speaking.
Question intonation
Rising intonation on the final syllable signals a yes‑no or information question.
🗨In Conversation
Quando dormes?
When do you sleep?
Normalmente às dez da noite.
Usually at ten at night.
✕Common Mistakes
Quando dorme?
‘Dorme’ is the 3rd‑person singular form (he/she/it sleeps) – use ‘dormes’ for ‘tu’.
Tu dorme?
Mixing the pronoun ‘tu’ with the 3rd‑person verb is incorrect; the verb must agree with the pronoun.
Quando dormi?
‘Dormi’ is past‑tense (I slept); the question asks about a habitual present action.
↔Alternatives
A que horas você vai dormir?
At what time do you go to sleep?
Quando é que tu dormes?
When is it that you sleep?
Qual é a tua hora de dormir?
What is your bedtime?
Cultural Tip
In Portugal the informal ‘tu’ form is common among peers, so ‘Quando dormes?’ sounds natural. In Brazil people usually say ‘Quando você dorme?’ or ‘A que horas você vai dormir?’. Portuguese people often go to bed a bit earlier than Brazilians, typically around 10‑11 p.m., especially on weekdays.