sentía
sen-TEE-ah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Ella sentía mucho miedo cuando estaba sola.
A2She was feeling a lot of fear when she was alone.
Yo sentía que esa decisión era correcta, aunque era difícil.
B1I felt that this decision was correct, even though it was difficult.
Él siempre sentía curiosidad por el mundo.
B1He always used to feel curiosity about the world.
Usted no sentía el frío, ¿verdad?
B2You didn't feel the cold, did you? (Formal 'You')
💡 Grammar Points
Imperfect Tense for Description
"Sentía" is the Imperfect tense, which describes conditions, feelings, or repeated actions in the past, like saying 'I was feeling' or 'she used to feel'.
Subjects Using 'Sentía'
This exact form is used for four subjects: 'Yo' (I), 'Él' (He), 'Ella' (She), and 'Usted' (Formal You). Context tells you which subject is being used.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Imperfect vs. Preterite
Mistake: "Using 'sentí' (I felt, one moment) when describing an ongoing past state, e.g., 'Ayer sentí tristeza.'"
Correction: Use 'sentía' when the feeling lasted for a period: 'Ayer sentía tristeza todo el día' (I was feeling sadness all day).
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Se Sentía'
To express how someone felt about themselves, use the reflexive 'se sentía': 'Él se sentía muy cansado' (He felt very tired [about himself]).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sentía
Question 1 of 1
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'sentía' to describe a past habit?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
If 'sentía' means 'I felt' and 'he felt', how do I know who the subject is?
You must use context! Spanish speakers often omit the 'Yo' (I) or 'Él/Ella' (He/She) pronouns because the conversation makes the subject clear. If the context is missing, you can add the pronoun (e.g., 'Yo sentía') for clarity.
Is 'sentía' irregular?
The conjugation for 'sentía' itself (in the Imperfect Tense) is actually regular for an '-ir' verb. However, the infinitive 'sentir' is considered irregular because its stem changes in other tenses, like the Present ('siento') and Preterite ('sintió').