sentarse
sen-TAR-seh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Por favor, siéntate donde quieras.
A1Please, sit down wherever you want.
Ella se sienta en el sofá después de trabajar.
A1She sits on the sofa after working.
Nos sentamos a esperar el tren.
A2We sat down to wait for the train.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Reflexive' Action
The 'se' on the end means you are doing the action to yourself. You are sitting yourself down. This is why you must use the matching pronoun (me, te, se, nos) before the verb.
The Stem Change
In the present tense, the 'e' in the middle of the verb changes to 'ie' in most forms (siento, sientas, sienta). Only the 'we' (nosotros) and 'you all' (vosotros) forms stay regular (sentamos, sentáis).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Pronoun
Mistake: "Yo siento en la silla."
Correction: Yo *me* siento en la silla. If you skip 'me', you are saying 'I seat (someone else) on the chair.'
⭐ Usage Tips
Giving a Command
When telling someone to sit down, remember to attach the pronoun and add an accent mark: 'Siéntate' (informal tú) or 'Siéntese' (formal usted).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sentarse
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the present tense of 'sentarse' for 'We sit down'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'sentar' and 'sentarse'?
'Sentar' means 'to seat someone else' or 'to fit/suit.' 'Sentarse' means 'to sit down,' where the person doing the action is the one receiving it (themselves). Think of 'sentarse' as 'to seat oneself.'
Why does the accent mark appear in 'siéntate'?
When you attach the pronoun 'te' to the command form, the stress shifts. The accent mark is necessary to keep the emphasis on the original part of the word (the 'ie' sound).