Sentir or Sentirse?

grace m.B1Kwiziq community member

Sentir or Sentirse?

I came across a sentence in a book I was reading and it said, 

"ya no se sienten ganas de beber"

I understand "ganas" as a noun meaning that they are stating they do not have the "desire" to drink I think. 

Why is sentirse used instead of sentir when "ganas" is the direct object?

Thank you


Asked 3 years ago
InmaKwiziq team member

Hola Grace

I'd have to see the context, but I can only guess that the writer is using it as a passive "se" sentence -this is when you mean in general "people/ you in general" don't feel any desire to drink (for whatever reason...), or as an impersonal sentence meaning "one doesn't feel desire to drink"

We have a lesson explaining this use of "se" with verbs:

passive se

Saludos

Inma

Rezar S.A2Kwiziq community member

I guess it is because they were feeling like doing something. As this lesson says, sentirse is used when talking about ¨how¨ one feels rather ´what´they feel.

Sentir or Sentirse?

I came across a sentence in a book I was reading and it said, 

"ya no se sienten ganas de beber"

I understand "ganas" as a noun meaning that they are stating they do not have the "desire" to drink I think. 

Why is sentirse used instead of sentir when "ganas" is the direct object?

Thank you


Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your Spanish level for FREE

Test your Spanish to the CEFR standard

Find your Spanish level
I'll be right with you...