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A happy child sitting quietly, placing both hands over their chest and smiling serenely, illustrating a feeling of internal contentment and peace.

sentirte

sen-TEER-teh

VerbA1irregular (stem-changing e>ie) ir
to feel (yourself)?referring to one's physical or emotional state
Also:to perceive yourself?less common, used when noticing one's own presence or state

Quick Reference

infinitivesentirse
gerundsintiéndote
past Participlesentido/a

📝 In Action

Necesitas dormir más para sentirte con energía.

A1

You need to sleep more to feel energetic.

Antes de salir, debes sentirte completamente seguro de tu decisión.

A2

Before leaving, you must feel completely sure of your decision.

¿Qué puedo hacer para ayudarte a sentirte mejor?

A1

What can I do to help you feel better?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • encontrarte (to find yourself (often used synonymously for 'to feel'))
  • hallarte (to find yourself (similar usage to encontrarte))

Common Collocations

  • sentirte bien / mal – to feel good / bad
  • sentirte culpable – to feel guilty

💡 Grammar Points

Reflexive Infinitive Structure

The word 'sentirte' is the base verb 'sentir' combined with the pronoun 'te' (you, informal). This form is used when the verb 'to feel' follows another conjugated verb (like 'debes' or 'quiero') or a preposition (like 'para' or 'antes de').

The Stem Change

The core verb 'sentir' is irregular. The 'e' in the stem changes to 'ie' in most present tense forms (e.g., 'te sientes'), but not in the 'nosotros' or 'vosotros' forms (e.g., 'nos sentimos').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Sentir vs. Sentirse

Mistake: "Using 'sentir' when you mean 'sentirse'. E.g., 'Yo siento feliz.'"

Correction: Always use the reflexive form 'sentirse' when talking about your internal state (how you feel). Say: 'Yo me siento feliz.' ('I feel happy.') Use 'sentir' only when sensing something external, like a smell or regret: 'Siento el frío.' ('I feel the cold.')

⭐ Usage Tips

Placement is Flexible

When using 'sentirte' after a conjugated verb (like 'puedes'), you have a choice. You can attach the 'te' to the end ('puedes sentirte') OR put it before the conjugated verb ('te puedes sentir'). Both are correct!

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedse siente
yome siento
túte sientes
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sienten
nosotrosnos sentimos
vosotrosos sentís

imperfect

él/ella/ustedse sentía
yome sentía
túte sentías
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sentían
nosotrosnos sentíamos
vosotrosos sentíais

preterite

él/ella/ustedse sintió
yome sentí
túte sentiste
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sintieron
nosotrosnos sentimos
vosotrosos sentisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedse sienta
yome sienta
túte sientas
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sientan
nosotrosnos sintamos
vosotrosos sintáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedse sintiera
yome sintiera
túte sintieras
ellos/ellas/ustedesse sintieran
nosotrosnos sintiéramos
vosotrosos sintierais
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: sentirte

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'sentirte'?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'sentirte' have the 'te' attached to the end?

The 'te' is the reflexive pronoun for 'tú' (you, informal). When a verb is in the infinitive form (the base form ending in -ar, -er, or -ir), the attached pronoun tells you who is performing the action on themselves. This structure is common when the infinitive follows a conjugated verb or a preposition.

Is 'sentirte' the same as 'te sentir'?

Functionally, yes, in many sentences. For example, 'Debes sentirte bien' and 'Te debes sentir bien' both mean 'You should feel good.' Spanish allows the pronoun to be attached to the infinitive or placed before the conjugated verb.