All verbs

/sɑ̃tiʁ/to smellA2

Family
Family 2 — two-stem `-ir`
Takes
a direct object — Takes a direct object; reflexive se sentir for how you feel

Build map — what to memorise

These three pieces are learnt; every other tense is built from them.

The nous form
sentons
Presentprésentfollows the rule

Singular — the short stem

sen-+-s -s -t

Presentprésentfollows the rule

Plural — the nous stem

sent-+-ons -ez -ent

Imperfectimparfaitfollows the rule

sent-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Present participleparticipe-présentfollows the rule

sent-+-ant

Subjunctivesubjonctif-présentfollows the rule

Built on ils; nous and vous are the imparfait forms

sent-+-e -es -e -ent

Infinitive
sentir
Simple futurefutur-simplefollows the rule

sentir-+-ai -as -a -ons -ez -ont

Conditionalconditionnel-présentfollows the rule

Futur stem + imparfait endings

sentir-+-ais -ais -ait -ions -iez -aient

Near futurefutur-prochefollows the rule

aller + infinitive

sentir

Past participle
senti

Takes avoir

Passé composépassé-composéfollows the rule

avoir (present) + past participle

senti

Pluperfectplus-que-parfaitfollows the rule

Auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle

senti

Conjugation

présent
Ije sens/ʒə sɑ̃/I smell
youtu sens/ty sɑ̃/you smell
he/sheil sent/il sɑ̃/he smells
wenous sentons/nu sɑ̃tɔ̃/we smell
youvous sentez/vu sɑ̃te/you smell
theyils sentent/il sɑ̃t/they smell

Examples

  • Je sens le froid.

    /ʒə sɑ̃ lə fʁwa/

    I feel the cold.

  • Il sent la fleur.

    /il sɑ̃ la flœʁ/

    He smells the flower.

  • Que sens-tu ?

    /kə sɑ̃s.ty/

    What can you smell?

Notes

  • Both to smell and to feel. Ça sent bon — that smells good; Je sens le froid — I feel the cold.

  • se sentir is how you are: Je me sens bien. And Je sens without the reflexive would mean you SMELL of something — a mistake worth avoiding.

  • Two stems: je sens but nous sentons.