Sentir vs Se sentir vs Ressentir

All three verbs can be translated as “to feel” in English, but they are used very differently. Here’s how to master them.

You can download a PDF of this lesson guide in my private French Grammar Library.

1. Sentir – To smell / to touch / to sense

Sentir is used for physical sensations. It can mean:

To smell
- Je sens la fleur.
- I smell the flower.
- Ça sent le café.
- It smells like coffee.

To touch / to feel physically
- Je sens le vent sur mon visage.
- I feel the wind on my face.
- Elle sent la chaleur du soleil.
- She feels the sun’s warmth.
To sense / perceive (sometimes metaphorical)
- Je sens que quelque chose ne va pas.
- I sense that something is wrong.

Trick for English speakers:

Don’t use sentir to talk about emotions about yourself — that’s se sentir or ressentir.

Se sentir is reflexive and always refers to how someone feels. It’s used for:

Physical state
- Je me sens fatigué.
- I feel tired.
- Il se sent malade après le voyage.
- He feels sick after the trip.
Emotional state
- Elle se sent heureuse aujourd’hui.
- She feels happy today.
- Je me sens stressé avant l’examen.
- I feel stressed before the exam.

Trick for English speakers:

Ressentir is more formal or literary. It expresses experiencing an emotion or a physical sensation, often intense or noticeable.

Emotional
- Je ressens de la tristesse.
- I feel sadness.
- Elle ressent de la colère contre lui.
- She feels anger toward him.
Physical
- Il ressent une douleur au bras.
- He feels pain in his arm.

Trick for English speakers:

Think of ressentir as more deliberate or intense than se sentir.
Often paired with nouns: de la douleur, de la tristesse, de la joie, de la peur, de la fatigue, de la tension…

Verb	Meaning	Use / Notes	Examples
sentir	to smell / feel physically / sense	physical perception	Je sens le parfum. Je sens le vent.
se sentir	to feel (about oneself)	personal physical or emotional state often paired with adjectives	Je me sens fatigué. Elle se sent heureuse.
ressentir	to feel / experience (emotionally or physically)	usually intense emotion or sensation often paired with nouns	Il ressent de la peur. Je ressens une douleur au dos.