Meaning
To take a seated position on a chair.
Cultural Background
The 'sobremesa' is a key cultural practice where people remain 'sentados en la silla' for up to an hour after finishing a meal to talk. It is considered very polite to wait for the host to say 'siéntese' or 'tome asiento' before you sit down at a dinner table. In Argentina, the 'voseo' is used, so the command becomes 'sentate' (without the accent on the 'e') instead of 'siéntate'. In formal or respectful contexts, Colombians often use 'su merced' and the formal 'siéntese' even among family members in some regions.
The 'Se' is Key
Always include the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) when you are the one sitting down.
Sentir vs Sentar
In the 'Yo' form, both are 'me siento'. Use context clues like 'silla' or 'triste' to know which is which.
Meaning
To take a seated position on a chair.
The 'Se' is Key
Always include the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) when you are the one sitting down.
Sentir vs Sentar
In the 'Yo' form, both are 'me siento'. Use context clues like 'silla' or 'triste' to know which is which.
Commands
When telling a group to sit, use 'siéntense'. It sounds more natural and polite than just 'sentar'.
Offering a Seat
In Spanish-speaking cultures, it is very polite to offer your chair to an elderly person or a pregnant woman using the phrase '¿Quiere sentarse?'
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun and verb form for 'sentarse' in the present tense.
Yo _______ (sentarse) en la silla azul.
For 'Yo', the reflexive pronoun is 'me' and the verb 'sentar' changes 'e' to 'ie'.
Choose the correct preposition to complete the phrase.
Por favor, siéntate ___ la silla.
In Spanish, the standard preposition for sitting on/in a chair is 'en'.
Complete the dialogue with the correct imperative form.
Madre: 'Hijo, es hora de comer. ¡_______ en la silla!'
The mother is talking to her son (informal 'tú'), so the correct imperative is 'siéntate'.
Match the Spanish phrase with its English translation.
Match the following:
These are the standard present tense reflexive conjugations.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Sentar vs. Sentir
Types of Sillas
Home
- • Silla de comedor
- • Silla de cocina
Work
- • Silla de oficina
- • Silla giratoria
Practice Bank
4 exercisesYo _______ (sentarse) en la silla azul.
For 'Yo', the reflexive pronoun is 'me' and the verb 'sentar' changes 'e' to 'ie'.
Por favor, siéntate ___ la silla.
In Spanish, the standard preposition for sitting on/in a chair is 'en'.
Madre: 'Hijo, es hora de comer. ¡_______ en la silla!'
The mother is talking to her son (informal 'tú'), so the correct imperative is 'siéntate'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the standard present tense reflexive conjugations.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
14 questionsEssentially yes, but 'tomar asiento' is more formal, like 'please be seated' vs 'sit down'.
Because it's a reflexive action; you are performing the action of 'seating' on yourself.
It's less common. 'En' is the standard preposition for being on/in the chair.
You say 'Estoy sentado' (state) or 'Me estoy sentando' (action of lowering yourself).
The plural is 'sillas'. Example: 'Hay muchas sillas en el aula'.
Usually, we use 'asiento' for cars and planes, but 'silla' is used for a child's car seat (silla de bebé).
Yes, it's a regular -ar verb in the preterite: me senté, te sentaste, se sentó.
Technically, a stool is a 'taburete', but in casual speech, people might still say 'silla'.
It means to sit down specifically to eat or have a meeting at a table.
Yes, it is universal, though the command forms (siéntate vs sentate) vary by region.
You say 'No te sientes ahí'.
Yes, 'silla' is always feminine: la silla, una silla, las sillas.
It is a wheelchair.
Yes! 'Esa ropa te sienta bien' means 'Those clothes suit/fit you well'.
Related Phrases
tomar asiento
synonymTo take a seat
sentar cabeza
figurativeTo settle down / grow up
estar sentado
similarTo be seated
sentarse a la mesa
specialized formTo sit at the table
levantarse de la silla
contrastTo get up from the chair
