Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| estar sentado | /estaɾ sentado/ (from spelling rules) |
| seer | /seˈeɾ/ |
The phrase is used to describe a person being in a position in which the upper body is upright and the legs are supported.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase estar sentado literally translates to to be seated, reflecting that in Spanish, being in a seated position is viewed as a state rather than a continuous action.
Which one should you use?
Use sentarse to describe the action of moving from a standing to a sitting position, whereas estar sentado describes the state of already being seated.
How does it change in a sentence?
The participle sentado must agree in gender and number with the person who is sitting when used with the verb estar (for example: sentado, sentada, sentados or sentadas).
How do you pronounce it?
/estaɾ sentado/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use sentar to mean to sit, but sentar is a transitive verb meaning to seat someone else. To sit yourself down, you must use the reflexive sentarse.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers use the phrase sentar cátedra to describe someone speaking with great authority or giving a masterclass on a subject.
- The Spanish verb sentar is also used in the phrase sentar bien, which means something 'fits well' or 'suits' a person, such as a piece of clothing.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to use the phrase tomar asiento instead of sentarse in formal settings to be more polite.
Examples in context
- Estoy contento de estar sentado aquí fuera charlando contigo.I'm happy to sit out here and chat with you.This sentence shows how to use estar sentado to express being in a seated position while chatting.Tatoeba #5704660 by arh, translation #2044951 by CK
- ¿Cuántas horas vas a estar sentado frente al televisor?How many hours are you going to sit in front of the TV?This sentence uses estar sentado to ask about the duration of sitting in front of a television.Tatoeba #10787473 by megamanenm, translation #2638940 by Joseph
- Perro, ¡siéntate!Dog, sit down!
- Disculpe, ¿podría hacer que su perro se siente?Excuse me, could you make your dog sit down?
- Por favor, pida a su perro que se siente.Please, ask your dog to sit down.
- Perrito, ¡siéntate!Little dog, sit down!
- ¡Siéntate, cachorrito, buen trabajo!Sit down, little puppy, good job!
- ¿Te gustaría aprender a sentarte?Would you like to learn how to sit down?
- Él prefiere estar sentado en la silla.He prefers to be sitting in the chair.
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are in a waiting room.
- ElenaMateo, ¿prefieres estar sentado o caminar un poco?Mateo, do you prefer to be sitting or walk a bit?
- MateoPrefiero estar sentado porque estoy muy cansado.I prefer to be sitting because I am very tired.
- ElenaEstá bien, yo también me voy a sentar.That's fine, I'm going to sit down too.
- MateoGracias, Elena.Thanks, Elena.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sit” translations and entries seer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
