Gut feelings and bad vibes.
« Je le sens pas » — I have a bad feeling about it — is constant in spoken French, about plans, people and decisions. The ne is gone, and the le refers to the whole situation, not a person.
Its positive is « je le sens bien ». And « ça sent le… » predicts an outcome: « ça sent la défaite » — this smells like a defeat.
💡 Focus at this level: Native slang
1. « Je le sens pas » = bad feeling. Learn it now.
2. « Ça sent le… » predicts. Often about sport and weather.
3. « Ça sent bon / mauvais » works literally and figuratively.
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