Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to hear" in Italian: sentire
sentire
To hear in Italian is sentire (sen-TEE-reh). Io sento, tu senti, lui/lei sente. Sentire also means to feel (temperature, emotion) and to smell in some contexts—tone and object tell you which.
Noisy café
Non sento bene: parla più forte.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce sentire
Say it
sen-TEE-reh
/senˈti.re/
Sentire stresses TEE: sen-TEE-reh. Sento is SEN-toh.
"to hear" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| sentire | to hear; to feel Core verb. | Core verb. |
| sento / senti / sente | I hear / you hear / he-she hears Present singular. | Present singular. |
| Non sento bene. | I can't hear well. Hearing problem. | Hearing problem. |
| sentire freddo | to feel cold Feel sense. | Feel sense. |
How to use sentire in real life
- 1Noisy café
Non sento bene: parla più forte.
I can't hear well: speak louder.
Sento for hear.
- 2Phone call
Mi senti adesso?
Can you hear me now?
Senti for you.
- 3Music next door
Sento la musica dal piano di sopra.
I hear the music from upstairs.
Sento + object.
Mistakes English speakers make with sentire
Incorrect: Io sentire il treno.
Correct: Io sento il treno.
Conjugate: io sento.
Incorrect: Ascolto un rumore strano. (for accidental hear)
Correct: Sento un rumore strano.
Ascoltare is listen on purpose; sentire is hear.
Good to know
Sentire is a workhorse: Non ti sento on bad calls, Mi sento bene for health, Sento odore di… for smells. Learners should let the object decide whether it means hear or feel.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
On a bad phone connection
ChatPal
Mi senti o la linea cade?
Can you hear me or is the line dropping?
You
Ti sento a tratti, ripeti pure.
I hear you in bits, go ahead and repeat.
ChatPal
Ok. Ora mi senti meglio?
Ok. Do you hear me better now?
You
Sì, adesso sento tutto chiaro.
Yes, now I hear everything clearly.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to hear" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to hear" in Italian
Sentire vs ascoltare?
Sentire = hear/perceive; ascoltare = listen actively.
How do you say I feel fine?
Mi sento bene.
Can you hear me?
Mi senti? / Mi sente? (formal)
Past tense?
Ho sentito is I heard / I felt.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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