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How to Say "feeling" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “feeling” is “sentimiento” — use this for a general emotional state, mood, or a specific, often deeper, emotion like love, happiness, or sadness..

English → Spanish

sentimiento

/sen-tee-MYEN-toh//sen.tiˈmjen.to/

nounA1
Use this for a general emotional state, mood, or a specific, often deeper, emotion like love, happiness, or sadness.
A brightly colored simple illustration of a stylized human figure with a glowing heart symbolizing happiness.

Examples

Tengo un sentimiento de alegría muy fuerte hoy.

I have a very strong feeling of joy today.

No puedo ocultar mis sentimientos por ti.

I can't hide my feelings for you.

Ella hirió mis sentimientos con ese comentario.

She hurt my feelings with that comment.

Masculine Noun Rule

Since 'sentimiento' ends in -o, it is a masculine word and always uses the masculine article 'el' (el sentimiento) or 'los' when plural (los sentimientos).

The -miento Suffix

This word comes from the verb 'sentir' (to feel). The suffix '-miento' often turns a verb into a noun describing the result or action of that verb, like 'movimiento' (movement) from 'mover' (to move).

Confusing Noun and Verb

Mistake: “Using 'sentimiento' when you mean 'I feel,' e.g., 'Yo sentimiento frío.'”

Correction: Use the verb 'sentir' for actions: 'Yo siento frío' (I feel cold).

sintiendo

/seen-tee-EN-doh//sinˈtjen.do/

verbA1
This is the present participle (gerund) and is used when describing the ongoing action of experiencing an emotion or a physical sensation.
A peaceful illustration of a person sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, surrounded by a gentle, golden light, signifying a feeling of calm and contentment.

Examples

Ahora mismo, estoy sintiendo mucho frío.

Right now, I am feeling very cold.

¿Qué estás sintiendo después de la noticia?

What are you feeling after the news?

El equipo se está sintiendo más confiado con cada victoria.

The team is feeling more confident with every victory.

The Continuous Action

This form, 'sintiendo,' is used with the verb 'estar' (like 'estoy,' 'estás,' etc.) to show an action that is happening right now, similar to the '-ing' form in English.

Irregular Gerund Rule

Even though the base verb is 'sentir,' the middle 'e' changes to an 'i' here ('sintiendo'). This is a common pattern for many -ir verbs like 'pedir' (pido) and 'dormir' (durmiendo).

Forgetting the Stem Change

Mistake: “Estoy *sentando* (Incorrectly using the regular form or confusing it with the verb 'to sit').”

Correction: Estoy *sintiendo*. Remember that the vowel changes from E to I when forming the continuous action word for 'sentir'.

emoción

nounA1
Use this for a strong, often sudden, emotional reaction or excitement, like joy, surprise, or fear.

Examples

Ella sintió una gran emoción al ver a su familia.

She felt great emotion when seeing her family.

impresión

nounA1
This refers to a general idea, opinion, or the effect something has on you, rather than a deep emotional state.

Examples

Mi primera impresión de la ciudad fue muy positiva.

My first impression of the city was very positive.

presentimiento

/pre-sen-tee-mee-en-toh//pɾesentiˈmjento/

nounB2
Use this for a vague, intuitive sense or foreboding that something is about to happen, often negative.
A high quality storybook illustration showing a young child standing on a grassy path. Floating in the air just in front of the child's face is a small, translucent, glowing image of a bright red umbrella, symbolizing a sudden premonition.

Examples

Tuve un presentimiento de que algo no iba bien en la reunión.

I had a premonition that something wasn't going well in the meeting.

Ella siempre confía en sus presentimientos, y rara vez se equivoca.

She always trusts her hunches, and she is rarely wrong.

Un profundo presentimiento de fatalidad la invadió al leer la carta.

A deep sense of foreboding overcame her upon reading the letter.

Masculine Noun

Remember that 'presentimiento' is a masculine noun, so you must use 'el' or 'un' before it: 'El presentimiento' (The premonition).

Confusing 'Presentimiento' and 'Sentimiento'

Mistake: “Using 'sentimiento' when you mean an intuition about the future.”

Correction: 'Presentimiento' is about sensing the *future* (pre-), while 'sentimiento' is about current *emotions* (feeling/emotion).

Sentimiento vs. Emoción

Learners often confuse 'sentimiento' and 'emoción'. 'Sentimiento' is a more general, lasting mood or feeling, while 'emoción' is a stronger, often more immediate reaction. Think of 'sentimiento' as your overall mood and 'emoción' as a sudden burst of feeling.

Related Translations

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