se sentir — French conjugation

to feel (well, ill, etc.)

IrregularReflexivesentir → se sentir

Indicative

Present (Présent) Irregular

Use the présent for habits, what is true now, and what is about to happen soon. A single set of endings covers what English often splits into “I speak” and “I am speaking”.

Elle parle arabe et français.

PronounFrench
jeme sens
tute sens
il/ellese sent
nousnous sentons
vousvous sentez
ils/ellesse sentent

Simple past (Passé simple) Regular

The passé simple narrates completed past events in a literary or very formal style. In everyday conversation people use the passé composé instead, so you mostly meet this form in books and journalism.

Ils virent le roi s'approcher.

PronounFrench
jeme sentis
tute sentis
il/ellese sentit
nousnous sentîmes
vousvous sentîtes
ils/ellesse sentirent

Imperfect (Imparfait) Irregular

The imparfait describes ongoing or repeated past actions and sets the background — how things were, what used to happen, weather, feelings. The passé composé, by contrast, marks single completed events.

Quand j'étais petit, j'allais souvent à la piscine.

PronounFrench
jeme sentais
tute sentais
il/ellese sentait
nousnous sentions
vousvous sentiez
ils/ellesse sentaient

Conditional (Conditionnel) Regular

The conditionnel is for polite questions and requests, “would”-type hypotheticals, and what someone said would happen. It is also the usual consequent clause in si + imparfait → conditionnel patterns.

Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ?

PronounFrench
jeme sentirais
tute sentirais
il/ellese sentirait
nousnous sentirions
vousvous sentiriez
ils/ellesse sentiraient

Future (Futur) Regular

The futur is for future plans and objective predictions. In speech, aller + infinitive is often clearer for the immediate future, while the simple future is common for facts further ahead or in writing.

Demain, nous dînerons chez eux.

PronounFrench
jeme sentirai
tute sentiras
il/ellese sentira
nousnous sentirons
vousvous sentirez
ils/ellesse sentiront

Subjunctive

Present subjunctive (Subjonctif présent) Irregular

The present subjunctive appears in subordinate clauses after desire, doubt, fear, need, and many impersonals, usually when the subject of the subordinate is different. Learn common triggers: il faut que, je veux que, je doute que…

Il faut qu'il parte avant midi.

PronounFrench
jeme sente
tute sentes
il/ellese sente
nousnous sentions
vousvous sentiez
ils/ellesse sentent

Imperfect subjunctive (Subjonctif imparfait) Regular

The imparfait du subjonctif is a literary and formal past subjunctive. In modern speech, the present subjunctive usually replaces it for the same meaning.

Bien qu'il fût fatigué, il continua.

PronounFrench
jeme sentisse
tute sentisses
il/ellese sentît
nousnous sentissions
vousvous sentissiez
ils/ellesse sentissent