Sentir Conjugation in Portuguese
sentir means “to feel” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 32 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to feel, and it is a stem-change verb: the present eu form is sinto, with i, while the tu form keeps e — sentes, sente, sentimos, sentis, sentem. Its pretérito perfeito is senti, sentiste, sentiu, and its participle is sentido. It covers feeling cold, feeling happy and feeling pain. This page gives you the complete conjugation of sentir — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Eu sinto frio todos os dias.” — “I feel the cold.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: sentir
- English: to feel
- Verb type: Regular -ir verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: sentindo
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: sentido
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -ir verbs; pattern ir in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for sentir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read sentir in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about sentir
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -ir pattern, so once you know the stem you can build the whole table. The only work is learning the endings, not memorising exceptions.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle sentido. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The gerund is sentindo and the past participle is sentido: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. There is no present participle form listed for this verb in the verified tables. If you know those two forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for sentir. Learn the present tense first, then the pretérito perfeito and the pretérito imperfeito, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sinto |
| tu | sentes |
| ele/ela | sente |
| nós | sentimos |
| vós | sentis |
| eles/elas | sentem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu sinto frio todos os dias.” — “I feel the cold”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | senti |
| tu | sentiste |
| ele/ela | sentiu |
| nós | sentimos |
| vós | sentistes |
| eles/elas | sentiram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu senti frio ontem.” — “I felt the cold”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sentia |
| tu | sentias |
| ele/ela | sentia |
| nós | sentíamos |
| vós | sentíeis |
| eles/elas | sentiam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu sentia frio antigamente.” — “I used to feel the cold”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sentira |
| tu | sentiras |
| ele/ela | sentira |
| nós | sentíramos |
| vós | sentíreis |
| eles/elas | sentiram |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples is used for an action completed before another past action; in everyday speech the compound form with tinha is more common. For example: “Eu sentira frio antes do jantar.” — “I had felt the cold”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sentirei |
| tu | sentirás |
| ele/ela | sentirá |
| nós | sentiremos |
| vós | sentireis |
| eles/elas | sentirão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu sentirei frio amanhã.” — “I will feel the cold”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sentiria |
| tu | sentirias |
| ele/ela | sentiria |
| nós | sentiríamos |
| vós | sentiríeis |
| eles/elas | sentiriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu sentiria frio um dia.” — “I would feel the cold”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho sentido |
| tu | tens sentido |
| ele/ela | tem sentido |
| nós | temos sentido |
| vós | tendes sentido |
| eles/elas | têm sentido |
The pretérito perfeito composto is used for actions that started in the past and continue, or have been repeated, up to the present. For example: “Ele tem sentido frio esta semana.” — “He has felt the cold”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha sentido |
| tu | tinhas sentido |
| ele/ela | tinha sentido |
| nós | tínhamos sentido |
| vós | tínheis sentido |
| eles/elas | tinham sentido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha sentido frio antes do jantar.” — “I had felt the cold”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei sentido |
| tu | terás sentido |
| ele/ela | terá sentido |
| nós | teremos sentido |
| vós | tereis sentido |
| eles/elas | terão sentido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei sentido frio até amanhã.” — “I will have felt the cold”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria sentido |
| tu | terias sentido |
| ele/ela | teria sentido |
| nós | teríamos sentido |
| vós | teríeis sentido |
| eles/elas | teriam sentido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria sentido frio ontem.” — “I would have felt the cold”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sinta |
| tu | sintas |
| ele/ela | sinta |
| nós | sintamos |
| vós | sintais |
| eles/elas | sintam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu sinta frio.” — “It is important that I feel the cold”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sentisse |
| tu | sentisses |
| ele/ela | sentisse |
| nós | sentíssemos |
| vós | sentísseis |
| eles/elas | sentissem |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after que, and in se-clauses. For example: “Era importante que eu sentisse frio.” — “It was important that I feel the cold”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sentir |
| tu | sentires |
| ele/ela | sentir |
| nós | sentirmos |
| vós | sentirdes |
| eles/elas | sentirem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu sentir frio, é bom.” — “If I feel the cold, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | sente |
| ele/ela | sinta |
| nós | sintamos |
| vós | senti |
| eles/elas | sintam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Sente frio!” — “Feel the cold!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não sintas |
| ele/ela | não sinta |
| nós | não sintamos |
| vós | não sintais |
| eles/elas | não sintam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não sintas frio.” — “Do not feel the cold.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha sentido |
| tu | tenhas sentido |
| ele/ela | tenha sentido |
| nós | tenhamos sentido |
| vós | tenhais sentido |
| eles/elas | tenham sentido |
The presente do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a subordinate clause expressing doubt, wish or emotion. For example: “É importante que eu tenha sentido frio.” — “It is important that I have felt the cold”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse sentido |
| tu | tivesses sentido |
| ele/ela | tivesse sentido |
| nós | tivéssemos sentido |
| vós | tivésseis sentido |
| eles/elas | tivessem sentido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse sentido frio.” — “It was important that I had felt the cold”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver sentido |
| tu | tiveres sentido |
| ele/ela | tiver sentido |
| nós | tivermos sentido |
| vós | tiverdes sentido |
| eles/elas | tiverem sentido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver sentido frio, é bom.” — “If I have felt the cold, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | sentindo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Sentindo frio, aprendo muito.” — “While feeling the cold, I learn a lot.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | sentido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho sentido frio esta semana.” — “I have felt the cold.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with sentir, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu sinto frio todos os dias.” — “I feel the cold”
- “Tu sentiste frio ontem.” — “You felt the cold”
- “Ele sentia frio antigamente.” — “He used to feel the cold”
- “Eu sentirei frio amanhã.” — “I will feel the cold”
- “Tu sentirias frio um dia.” — “You would feel the cold”
- “Ele tem sentido frio esta semana.” — “He has felt the cold”
- “Eu tinha sentido frio antes do jantar.” — “I had felt the cold”
- “Tu terás sentido frio até amanhã.” — “You will have felt the cold”
- “É importante que eu sinta frio.” — “It is important that I feel the cold”
- “Sente frio!” — “Feel the cold!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu sentir frio.”
✓ Right: “Eu sinto frio todos os dias.”
The infinitive sentir never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form sinto.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu sentes frio.”
✓ Right: “Eu sinto frio todos os dias.”
sentes is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with sinto.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu sinto frio ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu senti frio ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito senti for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou sentido frio.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho sentido frio esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of sentir is formed with ter plus the past participle sentido: the eu form is tenho sentido. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “É importante que eu sinto frio.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu sinta frio.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use sinta here, not the indicative sinto.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho sentindo frio.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho sentido frio esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle sentido, not the gerund sentindo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on sentir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of sentir in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) sentes
- B) sinto
- C) sente
- D) sentimos
What is the ele/ela form of sentir in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) senti
- B) sentiste
- C) sentiu
- D) sentimos
What is the nós form of sentir in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) sentia
- B) sentias
- C) sentíeis
- D) sentíamos
What is the tu form of sentir in the Futuro do presente?
- A) sentirás
- B) sentirei
- C) sentirá
- D) sentiremos
What is the eu form of sentir in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) sentirias
- B) sentiria
- C) sentiríamos
- D) sentiríeis
What is the ele/ela form of sentir in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho sentido
- B) tens sentido
- C) tem sentido
- D) temos sentido
What is the ele/ela form of sentir in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) sintas
- B) sintamos
- C) sintais
- D) sinta
What is the eu form of sentir in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) sentisse
- B) sentisses
- C) sentíssemos
- D) sentísseis
What is the gerund of sentir?
- A) sentido
- B) sentindo
- C) sentir
- D) sinto
What does sentir mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to feel
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) sinto — the correct form is sinto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) sentiu — the correct form is sentiu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) sentíamos — the correct form is sentíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) sentirás — the correct form is sentirás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) sentiria — the correct form is sentiria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem sentido — the correct form is tem sentido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) sinta — the correct form is sinta. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) sentisse — the correct form is sentisse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) sentindo — the correct form is sentindo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to feel — the correct form is to feel. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does sentir mean in English?
sentir means “to feel”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is sentir regular or irregular?
sentir is regular: it follows the ordinary -ir pattern in every tense. The gerund is sentindo and the past participle is sentido.
What are the gerund and past participle of sentir?
The gerund is sentindo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is sentido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho sentido.
Which auxiliary does sentir take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
sentir takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho sentido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle sentido.
How do I say “I feel” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu sinto frio todos os dias.” — “I feel the cold” The eu form of the present is sinto, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of sentir — every tense of sentir in one place.
- Sentir in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Sentir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese pretérito perfeito tense guide — the full guide to the pretérito perfeito tense in Portuguese.
- Pedir conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Abrir conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Portuguese verbs — the full hub of Portuguese conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise sentir with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise sentir with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise sentir with the interactive tool.