sentimiento
Lemma Details
Translation: feeling; sentiment; emotion; sense
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'sentimentum', derived from 'sentire' meaning 'to feel'. The English word 'sentiment' shares the same Latin root, making them cognates. The suffix '-miento' in Spanish forms nouns from verbs, indicating the result or process of an action, similar to how '-ment' functions in English (as in 'sentiment').
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'sentiment' in English, which is very similar in both spelling and meaning.
- Break it down: 'senti-' (feel) + '-miento' (result of action) = the result of feeling.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, expressing emotions and sentiments openly is often valued. The concept of 'sentimiento' is important in many cultural expressions, particularly in music genres like flamenco, tango, and bolero, where emotional depth is highly prized.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'sentimiento' refers to emotions and feelings that are more complex and lasting, 'sensación' typically refers to physical sensations or immediate reactions.
Notes: 'Sentimiento' is more about emotional states, while 'sensación' is more about physical perceptions or immediate reactions.
Mnemonic: 'Sentimiento' has 'senti-' like 'sentimental' (emotional), while 'sensación' has 'sensa-' like 'sensation' (physical).
Explanation: 'Sentimiento' refers to a current emotion or feeling, while 'presentimiento' means a premonition or foreboding about something that might happen in the future.
Confused word:
Tengo un presentimiento de que algo malo va a ocurrir.
I have a premonition that something bad is going to happen.
Notes: The prefix 'pre-' changes the meaning to indicate something felt in advance.
Mnemonic: 'Presentimiento' has 'pre-' (before) + 'sentimiento' = a feeling about something before it happens.