Portuguese · Everyday Verbs

"to sit (down)" in Portuguese: sentar(-se)

sentar(-se)

Say it: sen-TAHR / SEN-too / sen-TAH-dooverb/sẽ.ˈtaʁ/

To sit (down) in Portuguese is sentar or sentar-se. Say eu me sento and sente-se / pode sentar for invitations. Estou sentado means I’m seated.

Bus

Pode sentar aqui; este lugar está livre.
You can sit here; this seat is free.
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How to pronounce sentar(-se)

Say it

sen-TAHR / SEN-too / sen-TAH-doo

/sẽ.ˈtaʁ/

sen-TAHR. Eu sento is SEN-too; sentado is sen-TAH-doo.

"to sit (down)" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
sentar / sentar-seto sit (down)

Dictionary forms.

eu me sentoI sit / I’m sitting down

Present.

pode sentaryou can sit

Invitation.

sentado / sentadaseated / sitting

State.

How to use sentar(-se) in real life

  1. 1Bus

    Pode sentar aqui; este lugar está livre.

    You can sit here; this seat is free.

    Offer.

  2. 2Waiting room

    Eu me sento perto da janela.

    I’ll sit near the window.

    Choice.

  3. 3Photo pose

    Fica sentada no banco para a foto.

    Stay seated on the bench for the photo.

    Sentada.

Mistakes English speakers make with sentar(-se)

Incorrect: Eu sentar agora.

Correct: Eu me sento agora. / Vou me sentar agora.

Conjugate sentar; don’t leave the infinitive alone.

Incorrect: Eu estou sentido na cadeira.

Correct: Eu estou sentado na cadeira.

Sentado/sentada means seated; sentido is a different word.

Good to know

Pode sentar! is warm host language. On crowded buses, offering a seat still matters. Don’t confuse sentado with sentido (direction/meaning) or sentimento (feeling).

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Hosting guests

  1. ChatPal

    Pode sentar no sofá, por favor.

    Please sit on the sofa.

  2. You

    Obrigada. Eu me sento aqui.

    Thanks. I’ll sit here.

  3. ChatPal

    Quer água enquanto está sentada?

    Want water while you’re sitting?

  4. You

    Quero sim. Estou cansada da caminhada.

    Yes please. I’m tired from the walk.

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"to sit (down)" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "to sit (down)" in Portuguese

I sit?

Eu me sento / eu sento.

Please sit?

Pode sentar / sente-se.

I’m seated?

Estou sentado / sentada.

Sentido vs sentado?

Sentado = seated; sentido is unrelated.

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