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.
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.
Pronoun
Conjugation
Example
Yo
siento
Yo siento alegría (I feel joy)
Tú
sientes
Tú sientes frío (You feel cold)
Él/Ella/Usted
siente
Él siente tristeza (He feels sadness)
Nosotros/Nosotras
sentimos
Nosotros sentimos orgullo (We feel pride)
Vosotros/Vosotras
sentís
Vosotros sentís calor (You all feel hot)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes
sienten
Ellos 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.
Pronoun
Conjugation
Example
Yo
sentí
Yo sentí miedo (I felt fear)
Tú
sentiste
Tú sentiste alivio (You felt relief)
Él/Ella/Usted
sintió
Ella sintió dolor (She felt pain)
Nosotros/Nosotras
sentimos
Nosotras sentimos felicidad (We felt happiness)
Vosotros/Vosotras
sentisteis
Vosotros sentisteis sorpresa (You all felt surprise)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes
sintieron
Ellos 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.
Pronoun
Conjugation
Example
Yo
sentiré
Yo sentiré alivio pronto (I will feel relief soon).
Tú
sentirás
Tú sentirás la diferencia (You will feel the difference).
Él/Ella/Usted
sentirá
Él sentirá remordimiento (He will feel remorse).
Nosotros/Nosotras
sentiremos
Nosotras sentiremos nostalgia (We will feel nostalgic).
Vosotros/Vosotras
sentiréis
Vosotros sentiréis alegría (You all will feel joy).
The present subjunctive introduces stem changes. The e becomes ie for tú, usted, and ustedes, and i for vosotros. This tense is used to express desires, doubts, possibilities, and emotions in hypothetical situations.
Pronoun
Conjugation
Example
Yo
sienta
Espero que sienta mejoría (I hope he/she feels better).
Tú
sientas
Quiero que sientas la emoción (I want you to feel the excitement).
Él/Ella/Usted
sienta
Es importante que sienta empatía (It’s important that he/she/you feels empathy).
Nosotros/Nosotras
sintamos
Necesitamos que sintamos confianza (We need to feel confident).
Vosotros/Vosotras
sintáis
Es esencial que sintáis seguridad (It’s essential that you all feel safe).
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes
sientan
Deseo 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.
Affirmative
Translation
Negative
Translation
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 feel
no 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).
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.
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