French verb sentir

The tables below show the conjugation of the French verb sentir in the various simple and compound tenses.

See below for notes on the conjugation of sentir

PresentPerfect

jesens
tusens
il/ellesent
noussentons
voussentez
ils/ellessentent

j'ai senti
tuas senti
il/ellea senti
nousavons senti
vousavez senti
ils/ellesont senti

ImperfectPluperfect

jesentais
tusentais
il/ellesentait
noussentions
voussentiez
ils/ellessentaient

j'avais senti
tuavais senti
il/elleavait senti
nousavions senti
vousaviez senti
ils/ellesavaient senti

FutureFuture-perfect

jesentirai
tusentiras
il/ellesentira
noussentirons
voussentirez
ils/ellessentiront

j'aurai senti
tuauras senti
il/elleaura senti
nousaurons senti
vousaurez senti
ils/ellesauront senti

ConditionalConditional perfect

jesentirais
tusentirais
il/ellesentirait
noussentirions
voussentiriez
ils/ellessentiraient

j'aurais senti
tuaurais senti
il/elleaurait senti
nousaurions senti
vousauriez senti
ils/ellesauraient senti

Present subjunctivePerfect subjunctive

jesente
tusentes
il/ellesente
noussentions
voussentiez
ils/ellessentent

j'aie senti
tuaies senti
il/elleait senti
nousayons senti
vousayez senti
ils/ellesaient senti

This verb belongs to a pattern in which there is a 'characteristic consonant' immediately before the -ir of the infinitive. This consonant is absent in the singular present tense forms, but appears in other forms. These verbs also characteristically have a past participle ending in -i.

Apart from the behaviour of the characteristic consonant, this verb pattern is very similar to the regular -ir pattern, but without -ss- before its endings. It is also similar to the regular -er pattern but with -i in the past participle, and present tense singular endings -s/-t.

Common verbs following this pattern include: dormir (to sleep), mentir (to lie, not tell the truth), partir (to leave), sentir (to feel, smell), servir (to serve), sortir (to go/come out). Compounds such as endormir to put to sleep naturally follow the same pattern.


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