Meaning of Sentir and Sentirse
Sentir and sentirse both relate to the concept of "to feel," but they are used differently. Sentir is a transitive verb often used to express feeling something external or physical sensations, like pain or temperature. In contrast, sentirse is reflexive and describes internal or emotional states, how someone feels about themselves.
Use of Sentir
Sentir typically requires a direct object and expresses sensing or perceiving an external stimulus. For example, sentir frío (to feel cold) or sentir dolor (to feel pain). It can also be used with emotions if these are treated as things felt from the environment, e.g., sentir tristeza (to feel sadness).
Use of Sentirse
Sentirse is used to describe how a person perceives their own emotional or physical state. It always appears reflexively, meaning the subject is feeling something inside themselves. For example, me siento feliz (I feel happy) or se siente mal (he/she feels bad). This verb focuses on internal sensations or moods.
Conjugation Differences
Because sentirse is reflexive, it conjugates with reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) that correspond to the subject. Sentir conjugates normally without these pronouns. For example, yo siento vs. yo me siento.
Examples of Sentir vs. Sentirse
| Phrase | Meaning | Verb Used |
|---|---|---|
| Siento un pinchazo en la mano. | I feel a sharp pain in my hand. | Sentir |
| Me siento cansado hoy. | I feel tired today. | Sentirse |
| Ella siente frío. | She feels cold. | Sentir |
| Se siente feliz en casa. | He/she feels happy at home. | Sentirse |
Summary
Use sentir when referring to feeling something external or physical sensations, and sentirse for expressing how one feels internally, emotionally, or physically. Practicing both in context will help grasp their differences clearly.
