Debo asegurar la puerta antes de dormir para sentirme tranquilo.

I must secure the door before sleeping to feel calm.

Breakdown of Debo asegurar la puerta antes de dormir para sentirme tranquilo.

• yo: I
• dormir: to sleep
• la puerta: the door
• sentirse: to feel
• para: to
• antes de: before
• tranquilo: calm
• deber: must
• asegurar: to secure

Questions & Answers about Debo asegurar la puerta antes de dormir para sentirme tranquilo.

Why is Debo used instead of another expression like Tengo que or Necesito?

Using Debo conveys a sense of personal duty or strong obligation, often more formal than Tengo que. Tengo que suggests “I have to,” which can be more casual, while Necesito (“I need to”) focuses more on a necessity rather than an obligation.

What does asegurar la puerta specifically mean? Does it always involve a lock?

Asegurar la puerta literally means “to make sure the door is secure.” It typically implies locking the door, but it can also mean checking that it’s firmly shut or bolted. It doesn’t always mean using a key—it could also involve making sure additional latches or chains are engaged.

Why do we say antes de dormir instead of antes de acostarme?

Antes de dormir focuses on the time immediately before going to sleep, while antes de acostarme is more about “before I go to bed.” Both can be used in similar situations, but antes de dormir emphasizes the action of sleeping rather than just getting into bed.

Why is there a reflexive pronoun in sentirme?

In Spanish, using the reflexive pronoun with verbs like sentir (to feel) personalizes the action. Sentirme means “to feel (myself),” indicating that the speaker is talking about their own internal state or emotion. It clarifies that the speaker is the one experiencing the feeling, as opposed to describing an external perception.

Can tranquilo change to tranquila if a female is speaking?

Yes. Adjectives in Spanish often change to match the gender of the person speaking or being described. A female speaker would typically say tranquila if she’s referring to herself. If a male speaker is referring to himself, he would use tranquilo.