The French verb "sentir" means "to feel/smell" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "sentir" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
Jump to a tense
How to Conjugate "sentir" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | sens |
| tu | you (informal) | sens |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | sent |
| nous | we | sentons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | sentez |
| ils/elles | they | sentent |
Il sent le vent froid.
He feels the cold wind.
How to Conjugate "sentir" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai senti |
| tu | you (informal) | as senti |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a senti |
| nous | we | avons senti |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez senti |
| ils/elles | they | ont senti |
Il a senti le danger.
He felt the danger.
Want to actually remember these?
VerbPal drills "sentir" in real French sentences using spaced repetition.
Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "sentir" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | sentais |
| tu | you (informal) | sentais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | sentait |
| nous | we | sentions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | sentiez |
| ils/elles | they | sentaient |
Il sentait le vent sur son visage.
He felt the wind on his face.
How to Conjugate "sentir" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | sentirai |
| tu | you (informal) | sentiras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | sentira |
| nous | we | sentirons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | sentirez |
| ils/elles | they | sentiront |
Il sentira la fatigue ce soir.
He will feel the fatigue tonight.
How to Conjugate "sentir" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | sentirais |
| tu | you (informal) | sentirais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | sentirait |
| nous | we | sentirions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | sentiriez |
| ils/elles | they | sentiraient |
Il sentirait le danger.
He would feel the danger.
Frequently Asked Questions About "sentir"
Is "sentir" regular or irregular in French?
"Sentir" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "sentir" mean in English?
The French verb "sentir" means "to feel/smell" in English.
How do you conjugate "sentir" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → sens, tu → sens, il/elle/on → sent, nous → sentons, vous → sentez, ils/elles → sentent.
How many tenses does "sentir" have in French?
"Sentir" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
Master French verbs for real
Stop memorizing tables. Start speaking with confidence.
Try VerbPal Free3-day free trial. Cancel anytime.