What does sentar in Spanish mean?

What is the meaning of the word sentar in Spanish? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use sentar in Spanish.

The word sentar in Spanish means seat, sit, set, establish, lay, set, suit, not sit well, go down well, be just the ticket, sit, settle, give a lecture, not go down well with, go down poorly with, sit well, go over well, suit perfectly, be just what the doctor ordered, not go down well. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word sentar

seat, sit

verbo transitivo (en sillas, asientos)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
En el cine siempre siento a los niños en las butacas de la primera fila.
I always seat the kids in the front row at the cinema.

set, establish

verbo transitivo (dar, establecer)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
El director impuso un castigo ejemplar a los alborotadores para sentar un precedente.
The school principal punished the troublemakers to set a precedent.

lay, set

verbo transitivo (afianzar, asegurar) (construction)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Es necesario excavar una zanja para sentar el muro de contención.
A trench must be dug in order to lay the retaining wall.

suit

verbo intransitivo (convenir, ser adecuado)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
Esa camisa tan holgada no te sienta. Con su pelo negro y sus ojos azules, el rojo le sienta de maravilla a Diego.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. With your dark skin and olive eyes, that color dress looks good on you.

not sit well

verbo intransitivo (comida: hacer bien, mal) (negative)

Necesito tomar un antiácido: me sentó mal la cena.
I need to take an antacid: my dinner didn't sit well.

go down well, be just the ticket

verbo intransitivo (caer de cierto modo) (positive)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Al jefe le sentaron bien las vacaciones y está de muy buen humor. Las medidas del gobierno sentaron pésimamente entre los obreros.
The boss' vacation went down well and he's in a good mood.

sit

verbo pronominal (tomar asiento)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
Nadie podía sentarse en presencia del rey.
Nobody can sit in the presence of the king.

settle

verbo pronominal (asentarse: partículas)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
Con la ayuda de un floculante pueden sentarse los sólidos presentes en el agua.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. After the storm, the dust particles settled to the bottom of the swimming pool.

give a lecture

locución verbal (irónico (pronunciarse doctamente)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
No me des cátedra de psicología que yo sé cómo educar a mis hijos.

not go down well with, go down poorly with

locución verbal (ofender algo a alguien) (offend)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
That kind of humor doesn't go down well with me.

sit well, go over well

locución verbal (caer bien algo) (please)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
A Lucía le sentó bien el nuevo novio de Andrea.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. The news of her sister's pregnancy didn't sit well with Carly.

suit perfectly

locución verbal (quedar bien)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
El rojo le sienta de maravilla.
Red looks great on you.

be just what the doctor ordered

locución verbal (recuperarse con descanso) (figurative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Una siesta de veinte minutos me sienta de maravilla.
A twenty minute nap is just what the doctor ordered.

not go down well

locución verbal (caer mal algo)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
A Martín le sentó mal el comentario de Lucas.
Lucas' comment did not go down well with Martin.

Let's learn Spanish

So now that you know more about the meaning of sentar in Spanish, you can learn how to use them through selected examples and how to read them. And remember to learn the related words that we suggest. Our website is constantly updating with new words and new examples so you can look up the meanings of other words you don't know in Spanish.

Do you know about Spanish

Spanish (español), also known as Castilla, is a language of the Iberian-Romance group of the Romance languages, and the 4th most common language in the world according to Some sources, while others list it as a 2nd or 3rd most common language. It is the mother tongue of about 352 million people, and is spoken by 417 million people when adding its speakers as a language. sub (estimated in 1999). Spanish and Portuguese have very similar grammar and vocabulary; The number of similar vocabulary of these two languages is up to 89%. Spanish is the primary language of 20 countries around the world. It is estimated that the total number of speakers of Spanish is between 470 and 500 million, making it the second most widely spoken language in the world by number of native speakers.