Sentir vs. se sentir
'Sentir' and 'se sentir' are both French verbs that refer to the concept of feeling, but they have different uses and nuances in the language. Understanding these differences is key to expressing different feelings or emotions in French.
Sentir
In French, 'sentir' generally means to sense, to smell, or to feel something physically. It refers to the perception through the senses, particularly smell, but can also extend to other forms of physical sensation.
Je sens une odeur de brûlé.
(I smell something burning.)
Il sent le vent sur son visage.
(He feels the wind on his face.)
Ce tissu sent bon après le lavage.
(This fabric smells good after washing.)
Se sentir
'Se sentir' is a reflexive verb form of 'sentir', which means to feel in the sense of an emotional or physical state. It's used to describe how one feels about oneself, whether it's health, emotions, or general state of being.
Je me sens fatigué ce matin.
(I feel tired this morning.)
Elle se sent heureuse aujourd'hui.
(She feels happy today.)
Nous nous sentons mal à l'aise dans cette situation.
(We feel uncomfortable in this situation.)
Summary
While 'sentir' focuses more on external perceptions through the senses, especially smell, 'se sentir' is used for internal states of emotion or physical feeling about oneself. Understanding the context in which each verb is used can go a long way toward mastering these nuances in the French language.