Inklingo
Dictionary

sentido

sen-TEE-dohsenˈti.ðo

“sentido” means “sense” in Spanish. It has 5 different meanings depending on context:

senseA2Noun

one of the five physical abilities: sight, hearing, etc.

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meaningB1Noun

the idea or concept of something

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directionB1Noun

of traffic or movement

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consciousnessB2Noun

the state of being awake and aware

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offendedB1Adjective / Past Participle

feeling hurt by something someone said or did

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sense

NounmA2
A child's hand gently touching the soft, colorful petals of a large flower, illustrating the sense of touch.

📝 In Action

El ser humano tiene cinco sentidos: vista, oído, olfato, gusto y tacto.

A2

The human being has five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Los perros tienen un sentido del olfato muy desarrollado.

B1

Dogs have a highly developed sense of smell.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • el sentido de la vista – the sense of sight
  • el sentido del oído – the sense of hearing
  • agudizar los sentidos – to sharpen the senses

meaning, senseAlso: point

NounmB1
A simple illustration showing a tangled string or puzzle piece resolving itself into a clear, single line, symbolizing clarity and meaning.

📝 In Action

No entiendo el sentido de tu pregunta.

B1

I don't understand the meaning of your question.

Lo que dices no tiene ningún sentido.

B1

What you're saying makes no sense at all.

Ahora todo tiene sentido.

B1

Now everything makes sense.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • en cierto sentido – in a certain sense / in a way
  • en el sentido más amplio – in the broadest sense

Idioms & Expressions

  • no tener sentido – to not make sense
  • buscarle tres pies al gato – to overcomplicate things, to look for a hidden meaning that isn't there

directionAlso: way

NounmB1
A simple illustration of a straight road with a large, clear painted arrow showing the single direction of travel for a tiny vehicle.

📝 In Action

Esta calle es de sentido único.

B1

This is a one-way street.

Los coches vienen en sentido contrario.

B2

The cars are coming in the opposite direction.

Debes cambiar de sentido en la rotonda.

B2

You should change direction at the roundabout.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • dirección (direction)

Common Collocations

  • sentido único – one way
  • doble sentido – two way
  • sentido contrario – opposite direction
  • cambiar de sentido – to turn around, to change direction

consciousnessAlso: judgment, awareness

NounmB2
A cartoon character wisely wearing a heavy coat and hat while walking in the snow, illustrating common sense.

📝 In Action

Por favor, usa el sentido común.

B1

Please, use common sense.

Tiene un gran sentido del humor.

B1

He has a great sense of humor.

El boxeador perdió el sentido tras el golpe.

B2

The boxer lost consciousness after the punch.

Actuó con un profundo sentido de la responsabilidad.

C1

She acted with a deep sense of responsibility.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • sentido común – common sense
  • sentido del humor – sense of humor
  • sentido del deber – sense of duty
  • perder el sentido – to lose consciousness, to faint

offended, heartfeltAlso: sensitive, resentful

Adjective / Past ParticiplemB1
A person holding a letter close to their chest, where a glowing, symbolic heart is visible, representing deep, heartfelt emotion.
infinitivesentir
gerundsintiendo
past Participlesentido

📝 In Action

Fue un discurso muy sentido y emocionante.

B2

It was a very heartfelt and emotional speech.

Ella está muy sentida contigo porque no la llamaste.

B1

She is very offended with you because you didn't call her.

Mis más sentidas condolencias.

C1

My most heartfelt condolences.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Idioms & Expressions

  • darse por sentido – to take offense

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "sentido" in Spanish:

awarenessconsciousnessdirectionheartfeltjudgmentmeaningoffendedpoint

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: sentido

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'sentido' to mean 'direction'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
sentir(to feel) — Verb
sentimiento(feeling, sentiment) — Noun
sensación(sensation, feeling) — Noun
sensible(sensitive) — Adjective
consentido(spoiled, pampered) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes
partidovestidomaridoruido
📚 Etymology

Comes from the Latin word 'sensus', which is the past participle of the verb 'sentīre', meaning 'to feel, perceive by the senses, or think'. This single origin explains why 'sentido' can refer to physical senses, feelings, and the meaning or 'feel' of something.

First recorded: Around the 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: sentidoItalian: sentitoFrench: senti

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'sentido' and 'significado'?

They can both mean 'meaning', but there's a slight difference. 'Significado' is more like a dictionary definition—the specific meaning of a single word. 'Sentido' is broader and refers to the overall sense, logic, or implication of a phrase, action, or situation. That's why you say 'no tiene sentido' (it's not logical) and not 'no tiene significado'.

How do I know if 'sentido' means 'offended' or 'heartfelt'?

It depends on what it's describing. If it's describing a person's state ('estar sentido'), it almost always means they are offended or have hurt feelings. If it's describing a thing, like a speech ('un discurso sentido') or a letter ('una carta sentida'), it means it was sincere and full of emotion, or 'heartfelt'.