This is the 8113th most frequent Portuguese word.
sleeping
The Portuguese word for "sleeping" is "dormindo," meaning "in the state of sleep."
Here, 'dormindo' denotes the action of being asleep currently, resembling the present continuous form 'sleeping'.
O gato está dormindo no sofá.
The cat is sleeping on the couch.
In this sentence, 'dormindo' describes the ongoing action of being asleep at a past moment, similar to past continuous 'was sleeping'.
Eu estava dormindo quando você me ligou.
I was sleeping when you called me.
Here, 'dormir' after 'por' suggests habitual or typical behavior, interpreted as 'sleeping' in a general sense.