verb

sentire

feel · hear

Percepire un suono, una sensazione o un'emozione attraverso i sensi o il cuore.

Word: sentire

Language: Italian

Meaning

"Sentire" is a common Italian verb that primarily means "to feel" or "to hear" depending on the context.

Definitions:

To feel (emotion or physical sensation):
- When referring to emotions, it means to experience feelings such as happiness, sadness, pain, fear, etc. Example: Sento molta gioia ("I feel a lot of joy").
- When referring to physical sensations, it means to perceive through the senses, e.g., touch, temperature, or pain. Example: Sento freddo ("I feel cold").
To hear (perceive sound):
- It refers to the act of perceiving sounds or listening to something. Example: Sento un rumore strano ("I hear a strange noise").
To listen (implied usage): Although the primary verb for "listening" is ascoltare, in colloquial speech sentire can sometimes be used synonymously when referring to listening to someone or something.

Parts & Usage

It is a regular -ire verb, conjugated in present indicative as:
- io sento (I hear/feel)
- tu senti (you hear/feel)
- lui/lei sente (he/she hears/feels)
- noi sentiamo (we hear/feel)
- voi sentite (you all hear/feel)
- loro sentono (they hear/feel)
Can be reflexive as "sentirsi", meaning "to feel (oneself)," especially in relation to health or emotions.

Synonyms

To feel:
- Percepire (to perceive)
- Provare (to experience)
To hear:
- Ascoltare (to listen)

Antonyms

For "to hear":
- Non sentire (not to hear)
For "to feel" (emotionally or physically):
- Essere insensibile (to be insensitive)
- Non provare (not to experience a feeling)

Example Sentences

Sento un profumo dolce. — "I smell a sweet perfume." (related to sensory perception)
Non sento bene, puoi ripetere? — "I can't hear well, can you repeat?"
Mi sento stanco oggi. — "I feel tired today." (reflexive: feeling in terms of state)
Sento molta nostalgia di casa. — "I feel a lot of homesickness."

In summary, "sentire" is a versatile verb that involves sensory perception and internal emotional experience. Its meaning is guided by the context it is used in.