sentir
“sentir” means “to feel” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
to feel
Also: to experience
📝 In Action
Siento frío. ¿Puedes cerrar la ventana?
A1I feel cold. Can you close the window?
Hoy me siento muy feliz.
A2I feel very happy today.
Ella sintió un dolor fuerte en la espalda.
B1She felt a sharp pain in her back.
to regret
Also: to be sorry for
📝 In Action
Lo siento, no puedo ir a tu fiesta.
A1I'm sorry, I can't go to your party.
Siento mucho lo que pasó.
A2I'm very sorry about what happened.
Siento haberte preocupado.
B1I'm sorry to have worried you.
Siento que no hayas podido conseguir el trabajo.
B2I'm sorry that you weren't able to get the job.
to hear
Also: to notice, to perceive
📝 In Action
Sentí un ruido en la otra habitación.
B1I heard a noise in the other room.
A lo lejos, se sentían las campanas de la iglesia.
B2In the distance, the church bells could be heard.
Apenas sentí el pinchazo de la aguja.
B1I barely felt the prick of the needle.
to sense
Also: to have a feeling that
📝 In Action
Siento que algo malo va a pasar.
B2I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen.
Él sintió que ella no le estaba diciendo toda la verdad.
B2He sensed that she wasn't telling him the whole truth.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "sentir" in Spanish:
to experience→to feel→to hear→to notice→to perceive→to regret→to sense→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: sentir
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses 'sentir' to talk about an emotional state?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'sentīre', which meant 'to feel, perceive by the senses, hear, see, think, or be of an opinion'. Spanish has kept all of these related meanings.
First recorded: Around the 10th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between 'sentir' and 'sentirse'?
Think of it this way: you use 'sentir' for things you feel that are separate from you (like 'siento frío' - I feel coldness). You use 'sentirse' to describe your own internal state ('me siento feliz' - I feel happy). 'Sentir' takes an object; 'sentirse' is followed by an adjective or adverb describing you.
Is 'Lo siento' the only way to say 'I'm sorry'?
No! 'Lo siento' is best for expressing sympathy or deep regret. For small things, like bumping into someone, you'd use 'perdón' (pardon me) or 'disculpa' (excuse me). 'Perdón' is also used to ask for forgiveness.
Why does the vowel change in 'siento' but not in 'sentimos'?
This is a common pattern for 'stem-changing' verbs in Spanish. The vowel change happens when the spoken stress falls on that part of the word (siEN-to), but not when the stress is on the ending (-tI-mos). It's like a 'boot' shape in the conjugation chart—the 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms are outside the boot and don't change.