What is the present subjunctive of sentir in Spanish?

The present subjunctive of sentir is: sienta, sientas, sienta, sintamos, sintáis, sientan. Boot-shaped e → ie in yo/tú/él/ellos; e → i in nosotros and vosotros (sintamos, sintáis).

Why do nosotros and vosotros use e → i instead of keeping the e?

This is the -ir stem-changer pattern. In -ar and -er stem-changers (querer, pensar), the unstressed nosotros/vosotros forms keep the original e (queramos, pensemos). In -ir stem-changers (sentir, mentir, preferir, divertir), the unstressed forms take a second change to i.

What's the difference between sentir and sentirse?

Sentir = to feel something (an emotion, a sensation, an object): siento dolor (I feel pain), siento ruido (I hear noise). Sentirse = to feel + adjective (express a state): me siento bien (I feel well), te sientes triste (you feel sad). Both follow the same conjugation pattern.

Does siento que take subjunctive or indicative?

It depends on the meaning. Siento que = I regret / I'm sorry (emotional reaction) takes subjunctive: siento que no puedas venir (I'm sorry you can't come). Siento que = I sense / I feel (perception of fact) takes indicative: siento que algo va mal (I sense something is wrong).

How can I learn subjunctive sentir naturally?

Feelings are constant in conversation: hopes for someone to feel well, regret about how someone feels, emotional reactions. Parrot's short-form videos surface these emotional contexts repeatedly, so sienta / sientas / sintamos become automatic with exposure.

Spanish grammar · Intermediate

Subjunctive of Sentir: All Forms with Examples

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Sentir's present subjunctive: sienta, sientas, sienta, sintamos, sintáis, sientan. Boot-shaped e → ie in four forms; nosotros and vosotros take e → i (sintamos, sintáis). Common reflexive form sentirse (to feel + adjective).

Espero que te sientas mejor.

I hope you feel better.

What it is

Sentir's present subjunctive: sienta, sientas, sienta, sintamos, sintáis, sientan. The e → ie change happens in the four boot-shaped forms (stressed e), and e → i happens in the nosotros and vosotros forms (unstressed e). This double change is characteristic of -ir stem-changers like sentir, mentir, preferir, divertir.

In Espero que te sientas mejor (I hope you feel better), sientas is the tú subjunctive of sentirse. The hope trigger plus the reflexive pronoun te make this an example of subjunctive sentirse.

How to spot it

Look for sient- in yo/tú/él/ellos (stressed boot) and sint- in nosotros/vosotros (unstressed). Often reflexive (sentirse): que me sienta, que te sientas, que se sienta, que nos sintamos, que os sintáis, que se sientan.

Quiero que te sientas cómodo. — I want you to feel comfortable.
Dudo que sientan miedo. — I doubt they feel afraid.
Es importante que sintamos algo. — It's important we feel something.

Sentir / sentirse is hugely common in emotional and physical state expressions.

Subjunctive of Sentir Quick Reference

Present subjunctive of sentir, all six forms

Person	Form	Translation
yo	sienta	(that) I feel
tú	sientas	(that) you feel
él/ella/Ud.	sienta	(that) he, she, you (formal) feel
nosotros	sintamos	(that) we feel
vosotros	sintáis	(that) you all feel (Spain)
ellos/Uds.	sientan	(that) they, you all feel

Common Subjunctive of Sentir Examples in Spanish

Subjunctive sentir shows up in wishes about feelings, recommendations for emotional or physical comfort, and reactions to others' feelings. Often reflexive (sentirse + adjective).

Wishes (sentirse + adjective)

Quiero que te sientas bien.: I want you to feel well.
Espero que se sienta cómoda.: I hope she feels comfortable.
Deseo que nos sintamos seguros.: I wish we'd feel safe.
Quiere que te sientas en casa.: She wants you to feel at home.
Esperan que se sientan bienvenidos.: They hope they feel welcome.

Wishes about how someone feels (well, comfortable, safe, welcome) take the subjunctive of sentirse.

Doubt (dudar que, no creer que)

Dudo que sienta culpa.: I doubt he feels guilty.
No creo que se sientan cansados.: I don't think they feel tired.
Es posible que sientas miedo.: You might feel afraid.
Puede que sintamos lo mismo.: We might feel the same thing.
Quizás sienta algo por ella.: Maybe he feels something for her.

Doubt about feelings or sensations takes the subjunctive of sentir.

Emotion About Feelings

Me alegro de que te sientas mejor.: I'm glad you're feeling better.
Siento que te sientas mal.: I'm sorry you feel bad.
Me preocupa que se sienta tan triste.: It worries me she feels so sad.
Le encanta que nos sintamos cómodos.: She loves that we feel comfortable.
Lamento que sintáis dolor.: I regret you all feel pain.

Emotional reactions to how others feel take the subjunctive. Note that siento que (I regret/I'm sorry) also takes subjunctive (when expressing emotion), not indicative.

Impersonal Triggers

Es importante que te sientas escuchado.: It's important you feel heard.
Es necesario que sintamos esta lección.: It's necessary we feel this lesson.
Es bueno que se sienta acompañada.: It's good she feels accompanied.
Es triste que se sientan solos.: It's sad they feel alone.
Es raro que no sientas nada.: It's strange you don't feel anything.

Impersonal expressions about feelings and emotional states trigger the subjunctive.

How to Form the Subjunctive of Sentir

Boot Pattern: E → IE (Stressed)

In the four boot-shaped forms (yo, tú, él, ellos), the e changes to ie when stressed: sienta, sientas, sienta, sientan. Same change as the present indicative.

sienta, sientas, sienta, sientan.

Stressed e becomes ie inside the boot.

Same boot shape as the present indicative.

Outside Boot: E → I (Unstressed)

In the unstressed nosotros and vosotros forms, the e changes to i: sintamos, sintáis. This second change is characteristic of -ir stem-changing verbs. It applies in the present subjunctive, preterite (sintieron), gerund (sintiendo), and -ra imperfect subjunctive.

sintamos, sintáis.

Unstressed e becomes i, not back to e.

-ir stem-changers: second stem change in nosotros/vosotros.

Reflexive: Sentirse

Sentirse (to feel + adjective) is the most common form: que me sienta, que te sientas, que se sienta, que nos sintamos, que os sintáis, que se sientan. The reflexive pronoun goes before the conjugated form.

Quiero que te sientas cómodo. Espero que se sientan bien.

Reflexive pronoun + subjunctive form.

Reflexive: que + pronoun + subjunctive form.

Same Triggers as All Subjunctives

Subjunctive sentir responds to all standard W.E.I.R.D.O. triggers. Wishes, doubts, emotions, and impersonal expressions about feelings all trigger the mood shift.

Quiero que. Espero que. Es importante que. Me alegro de que.

Same triggers across all verbs.

Trigger + que = subjunctive.

Common Mistakes with Subjunctive of Sentir

Incorrect: Espero que te sientes mejor. — I hope you feel better. (wrong, indicative after esperar que)

Correct: Espero que te sientas mejor. — I hope you feel better.

After esperar que, the dependent verb must be subjunctive. Sientes is the indicative; sientas is the tú subjunctive form with the e → ie change.

Incorrect: Es importante que sentamos algo. — It's important we feel something. (wrong, missing e → i change)

Correct: Es importante que sintamos algo. — It's important we feel something.

In -ir stem-changers, the nosotros subjunctive takes an unstressed e → i change. The correct form is sintamos (not sentamos or sintemos).

Incorrect: Sé que sienta culpa. — I know he feels guilty. (wrong, fact assertion takes indicative)

Correct: Sé que siente culpa. — I know he feels guilty.

Saber que asserts a fact and takes the indicative (siente), not the subjunctive (sienta). Only triggers expressing doubt, wish, or opinion force the subjunctive.

Subjunctive of Sentir FAQs

What is the present subjunctive of sentir in Spanish?: The present subjunctive of sentir is: sienta, sientas, sienta, sintamos, sintáis, sientan. Boot-shaped e → ie in yo/tú/él/ellos; e → i in nosotros and vosotros (sintamos, sintáis).
Why do nosotros and vosotros use e → i instead of keeping the e?: This is the -ir stem-changer pattern. In -ar and -er stem-changers (querer, pensar), the unstressed nosotros/vosotros forms keep the original e (queramos, pensemos). In -ir stem-changers (sentir, mentir, preferir, divertir), the unstressed forms take a second change to i.
What's the difference between sentir and sentirse?: Sentir = to feel something (an emotion, a sensation, an object): siento dolor (I feel pain), siento ruido (I hear noise). Sentirse = to feel + adjective (express a state): me siento bien (I feel well), te sientes triste (you feel sad). Both follow the same conjugation pattern.
Does siento que take subjunctive or indicative?: It depends on the meaning. Siento que = I regret / I'm sorry (emotional reaction) takes subjunctive: siento que no puedas venir (I'm sorry you can't come). Siento que = I sense / I feel (perception of fact) takes indicative: siento que algo va mal (I sense something is wrong).
How can I learn subjunctive sentir naturally?: Feelings are constant in conversation: hopes for someone to feel well, regret about how someone feels, emotional reactions. Parrot's short-form videos surface these emotional contexts repeatedly, so sienta / sientas / sintamos become automatic with exposure.