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FRENCH VERB

sentir

to smell, to feel

  • #66 most used
  • Irregular -ir verb
  • Past participle: senti
  • Present participle: sentant

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

  1. je I smell
  2. tu you smell
  3. il, elle, on he/she smells
  4. nous we smell
  5. vous you smell
  6. ils, elles they smell

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

  1. je I smelled
  2. tu you smelled
  3. il, elle, on he/she smelled
  4. nous we smelled
  5. vous you smelled
  6. ils, elles they smelled

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. je I used to smell
  2. tu you used to smell
  3. il, elle, on he/she used to smell
  4. nous we used to smell
  5. vous you used to smell
  6. ils, elles they used to smell

Future

Futur simple · plans; in speech, “je vais parler” is just as common

  1. je I will smell
  2. tu you will smell
  3. il, elle, on he/she will smell
  4. nous we will smell
  5. vous you will smell
  6. ils, elles they will smell

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

  1. je I would smell
  2. tu you would smell
  3. il, elle, on he/she would smell
  4. nous we would smell
  5. vous you would smell
  6. ils, elles they would smell

Present subjunctive

Subjonctif présent · wishes, doubts, “il faut que …”

  1. je (that) I smell
  2. tu (that) you smell
  3. il, elle, on (that) he/she smell
  4. nous (that) we smell
  5. vous (that) you smell
  6. ils, elles (that) they smell

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

  1. tu smell!
  2. nous smell! (let’s)
  3. vous smell! (plural, or formal)

How to use sentir

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Ça sent le pain chaud dans toute la rue.

    The whole street smells of warm bread.

  2. Past

    J'ai senti une goutte, il va pleuvoir.

    I felt a drop, it's going to rain.

  3. Imperfect

    La chambre sentait l'humidité, on a changé d'hôtel.

    The room smelled damp, so we changed hotels.

  4. Future

    Tu sentiras la différence dès la première nuit.

    You'll feel the difference from the very first night.

  5. Conditional

    On sentirait moins le froid avec de bonnes chaussettes.

    We'd feel the cold less with good socks.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je ne pense pas qu'il sente la fatigue, il est jeune.

    I don't think he feels tired, he's young.

  7. Imperative

    Sens ce melon, il est parfait pour ce soir.

    Smell this melon, it's perfect for tonight.

Good to know

  • Ça sent bon is it smells good; ça sent le brûlé, it smells of burning.
  • Se sentir is how you feel : je me sens mieux.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -ir verb.