Conjugating the Spanish Verb Sentir: A Comprehensive Guide

This guide provides a deep dive into conjugating the Spanish verb sentir, meaning “to feel” or “to regret.” Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this guide will equip you to express feelings and sensations accurately in Spanish. Are you an active student in Vicksburg? Join our dynamic community of learners today! Need a refresher on math? Check out our adding and subtracting integers worksheet.

Understanding Sentir

Sentir is essential for expressing emotions in Spanish, from simple feelings like happiness and sadness to more complex ones. Its irregularity adds a layer of complexity, but understanding the patterns will unlock a new level of communication. Mastering sentir also allows you to use common phrases like “Lo siento” (I’m sorry) correctly.

Sentir Conjugation Tables

Sentir is a stem-changing verb. This means the stem (the core part of the word) changes depending on the tense and pronoun. Let’s break down the conjugations.

Present Tense (Expressing Current Feelings)

In the present tense, the stem often changes from e to ie, except for nosotros and vosotros.

PronounConjugationExample
YosientoYo siento alegría (I feel joy)
sientesTú sientes frío (You feel cold)
Él/Ella/UstedsienteÉl siente tristeza (He feels sadness)
Nosotros/NosotrassentimosNosotros sentimos orgullo (We feel pride)
Vosotros/VosotrassentísVosotros sentís calor (You all feel hot)
Ellos/Ellas/UstedessientenEllos sienten entusiasmo (They feel enthusiasm)

Preterite Tense (Expressing Past Feelings)

In the preterite tense, the stem changes from e to i in the third person singular and plural.

PronounConjugationExample
YosentíYo sentí miedo (I felt fear)
sentisteTú sentiste alivio (You felt relief)
Él/Ella/UstedsintióElla sintió dolor (She felt pain)
Nosotros/NosotrassentimosNosotras sentimos felicidad (We felt happiness)
Vosotros/VosotrassentisteisVosotros sentisteis sorpresa (You all felt surprise)
Ellos/Ellas/UstedessintieronEllos sintieron envidia (They felt envy)

Future Tense (Expressing Future Feelings)

The future tense of sentir is regular, following standard conjugation patterns. Simply add the future endings to the infinitive form, sentir.

PronounConjugationExample
YosentiréYo sentiré alivio pronto (I will feel relief soon).
sentirásTú sentirás la diferencia (You will feel the difference).
Él/Ella/UstedsentiráÉl sentirá remordimiento (He will feel remorse).
Nosotros/NosotrassentiremosNosotras sentiremos nostalgia (We will feel nostalgic).
Vosotros/VosotrassentiréisVosotros sentiréis alegría (You all will feel joy).
Ellos/Ellas/UstedessentiránEllos sentirán orgullo (They will feel proud).

Present Subjunctive (Expressing Hypothetical Feelings)

The present subjunctive introduces stem changes. The e becomes ie for , usted, and ustedes, and i for vosotros. This tense is used to express desires, doubts, possibilities, and emotions in hypothetical situations.

PronounConjugationExample
YosientaEspero que sienta mejoría (I hope he/she feels better).
sientasQuiero que sientas la emoción (I want you to feel the excitement).
Él/Ella/UstedsientaEs importante que sienta empatía (It’s important that he/she/you feels empathy).
Nosotros/NosotrassintamosNecesitamos que sintamos confianza (We need to feel confident).
Vosotros/VosotrassintáisEs esencial que sintáis seguridad (It’s essential that you all feel safe).
Ellos/Ellas/UstedessientanDeseo que sientan la felicidad (I wish for them/you all to feel happiness).

Imperative Mood (Giving Commands Related to Feelings)

The imperative mood directs someone to feel (or not feel) a certain way. Stem changes occur in both affirmative and negative commands.

AffirmativeTranslationNegativeTranslation
siente (tú)Feel (you informal)no sientas (tú)Don’t feel (you informal)
sienta (usted)Feel (you formal)no sienta (usted)Don’t feel (you formal)
sintamos (nosotros)Let’s feelno sintamos (nosotros)Let’s not feel
sentíos (vosotros)Feel (you all)no sintáis (vosotros)Don’t feel (you all)
sientan (ustedes)Feel (you all formal)no sientan (ustedes)Don’t feel (you all formal)

Other Tenses and Resources

While this guide covers the most common tenses, you’ll eventually want to explore the imperfect, conditional, and other more nuanced forms. Resources like SpanishDict and verb conjugation apps offer comprehensive tables and can be invaluable tools.

Sentir vs. Sentirse

It’s important to distinguish between sentir and sentirse. Sentir typically refers to feeling a physical sensation or emotion directed outward (e.g., “Siento el frío” – I feel the cold), whereas sentirse focuses on an internal state of being (e.g., “Me siento feliz” – I feel happy). For a deeper dive into sentirse, see our guide on conjugating sentirse.

Putting Sentir into Practice

Learning a language is about communication. Practice using sentir in real conversations. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; each attempt strengthens your understanding.

Additional Insights on Sentir

  • Similar Verbs: Arrepentirse (to regret) and lamentar (to lament).
  • Gerund: Sintiendo (feeling) – describes ongoing actions.
  • Past Participle: Sentido (felt) – used in perfect tenses.
  • Infinitive: Sentir (to feel).
  • Common Mistakes: Learners often confuse sentir and sentirse, and struggle with stem changes. Regular practice can alleviate these challenges.

This comprehensive guide equips you with the tools to master sentir. By understanding its nuances and practicing regularly, you can express yourself with clarity and confidence in Spanish. Now go forth and feel the language!

Conjugating Sentir in French

While this guide focuses on Spanish, the French verb sentir also means “to feel” and “to smell.” It utilizes the auxiliary verb avoir in compound tenses and has a reflexive form, se sentir (to feel oneself). For more on French sentir, check out our guide on conjugating sentir in French.