sentir at B1 — sentir vs se sentir
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Reflexive or not decides whether you feel, or something smells.
Je sens or je me sens?
Se sentir + adjective is how you describe your own state: « je me sens bien », « je me sens mal », « je me sens fatigué ». This is the phrase you need at the doctor, and learners who skip the reflexive produce something quite different.
Because « je sens mauvais » without the reflexive means I smell bad — about your body odour. « Je me sens mal » means I feel unwell. One small pronoun separates a health complaint from an embarrassing confession.
💡 Focus at this level: sentir vs se sentir
👨🏫 How to use « sentir » at this level
1. Se sentir + adjective = your own state.
2. Sentir + adjective = the smell you give off.
3. Reflexive takes être in the past. « Je me suis senti mal. »
🎮 Practise « sentir »
Play the free French games → · Back to the full « sentir » chart →