Inklingo
← Dictionary
Two cheerful cartoon figures, a boy and a girl, are simultaneously in the motion of lowering themselves onto a long, red wooden bench, illustrating the reflexive action of 'sitting down ourselves'.

sentarnos

sehn-TAR-nohs

VerbA1irregular (stem-changing e>ie) ar
to sit down (ourselves)?The infinitive form used when the action of sitting affects 'us'.
Also:to take a seat?Referring to a group of people (us).,to settle down?Figurative, usually followed by 'a + infinitive'

Quick Reference

past Participlesentado
infinitivesentarse
gerundsentándose

📝 In Action

Necesitamos sentarnos juntos para discutir esto.

A2

We need to sit down together to discuss this.

Antes de comer, vamos a sentarnos en el sofá.

A1

Before eating, let's sit down on the sofa.

Si queremos terminar el proyecto, debemos sentarnos a trabajar inmediatamente.

B1

If we want to finish the project, we must sit down and work immediately.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tomar asiento (to take a seat)
  • ocupar un lugar (to occupy a spot)

Common Collocations

  • sentarnos a la mesa – to sit down at the table
  • sentarnos juntos – to sit together

💡 Grammar Points

The 'Nos' Ending

The word 'sentarnos' is the base verb 'sentar' plus the pronoun 'nos' (us). This means the action of sitting is being done to ourselves. We are sitting us down.

Stem Change Rule

The base verb 'sentar' changes its vowel from E to IE in most present tenses (like 'me siento'). However, when conjugating for 'nosotros' (we) or 'vosotros' (you all in Spain), the E stays the same (nos sentamos).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting the Reflexive Pronoun

Mistake: "Decir 'Necesitamos sentar' cuando quieres decir 'Necesitamos sentarnos.'"

Correction: Use 'sentarnos' when you mean 'to sit ourselves down.' The verb 'sentar' without 'nos' usually means 'to seat someone else' or 'to feel/fit well'.

Misplacing the Pronoun

Mistake: "Decir 'Nos necesitamos sentar.'"

Correction: When using the infinitive ('sentar'), the pronoun ('nos') is usually attached to the end: 'Necesitamos sentarnos.' (Unless the main verb is conjugated: 'Nos sentamos.')

⭐ Usage Tips

Quick Commands

To suggest everyone sit down, use the command form: '¡Sentémonos!' (Let's sit down!). Notice the 's' is dropped from the verb 'sentemos' before adding 'nos'.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

vosotrosos sentáis
él/ella/ustedse sienta
túte sientas
yome siento
nosotrosnos sentamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sientan

preterite

vosotrosos sentasteis
él/ella/ustedse sentó
túte sentaste
yome senté
nosotrosnos sentamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sentaron

imperfect

vosotrosos sentabais
él/ella/ustedse sentaba
túte sentabas
yome sentaba
nosotrosnos sentábamos
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sentaban

subjunctive

present

vosotrosos sentéis
él/ella/ustedse siente
túte sientes
yome siente
nosotrosnos sentemos
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sienten

imperfect

vosotrosos sentarais
él/ella/ustedse sentara
túte sentaras
yome sentara
nosotrosnos sentáramos
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sentaran
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: sentarnos

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses the infinitive form 'sentarnos'?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'sentar' and 'sentarse'?

'Sentar' means 'to seat' someone else, or sometimes 'to suit' (Esa camisa te sienta bien - That shirt suits you well). 'Sentarse' is reflexive, meaning 'to sit down,' where the person doing the action is the same person receiving the action (I sit myself down).

Why does the 'e' change to 'ie' in some forms but not in 'nosotros'?

This is a common pattern for 'boot verbs' (stem-changing verbs) in Spanish. The vowel change (E to IE) happens in all singular forms and the 'ellos/ellas/ustedes' form, which form a 'boot' shape on the conjugation chart. The 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms are always the exception and keep the original root vowel.