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There a site which says on verbal periphrasis:

sentirse + p.p. means "to have been “somethinged” - passive"

I am not sure I fully understand that given they offer no examples to illustrate the meaning. Google search didn't help much either. My personal understanding says it could translate into something like to feel done:

Me siento cansado.
I feel tired.

This, of course doesn't seem to be anything like what the website in question says. Is there some nuance I am missing out on? Also, should the past participle in this construct inflect with the object or subject, if at all?

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This is well explained in the definition of the word from DRAE:

sentir
...
11. prnl. Hallarse o estar de determinada manera. Sentirse enfermo.
12. prnl. Considerarse, reconocerse. Sentirse muy obligado.
...

So this has the function of a feeling, a consideration, etc:

<sentir in prnl form> + <past participle>

See some examples to clarify this:

  • (Yo) Me siento obligado a decir que "no". I feel compelled to say no.
  • (Yo) Me siento pesado. I feel heavy

As per the definition of being "somethinged", I understand it like this:

  • (Yo) Me siento repudiado. I feel repudiated
  • (Yo) Me siento insultado. I feel insulted
  • (Nosotros) Nos sentimos insultados. We feel insulted

That is, this form can introduce feelings induced by others.

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  • This is exactly what I understood too as mentioned in the question. What I am confused about is the meaning the website I refer to has given. That's the nuance I was hoping for someone to help me understand: "to have been “somethinged” - passive"
    – TheLearner
    Aug 31, 2016 at 11:03
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    @TheLearner you are right, I forgot to address this. I have added a couple of extra examples, together with some explanation.
    – fedorqui
    Aug 31, 2016 at 11:06
  • Thanks for the explanation. However, the confusion still remains on whether the participle should agree with the subject here. If I take the "feel" version, it looks like it doesn't need to. But if I take the "somethinged" version, it seems it should inflect. Would you say nos sentimos repudiado or nos sentimos repudiados?
    – TheLearner
    Aug 31, 2016 at 11:31
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    @TheLearner yes, the past participle needs to match in gender and number. It is nos sentimos repudiados because what we are in fact saying is nosotros nos sentimos repudiados. Likewise, you would say (ella) se siente repudiada and (ellas) se sienten repudiadas.
    – fedorqui
    Aug 31, 2016 at 11:36
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"Siento calor," is something we sense outside of ourselves. It is a hot day outside, and I feel that heat.

"Me siento calor" means my skin, my body feels hot, maybe I am sweating, or I have a fever.

"Siento triste" means I am feeling sad.

"Yo me siento triste" means I am feeling sad inside, maybe I am feeling sorry for myself, or wallowing.

Basically when the reflexive is used as in "me siento xxx", the feeling has to do more with the speaker than the outer environment or it can mean "I really feel it!".

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  • Hello Teresa, please note that upper case looks like you are shouting :) I edited your answer so that we can read it normally. Thanks for it and welcome to Spanish Language, where we follow the guidelines described in How to Answer.
    – fedorqui
    Sep 5, 2016 at 6:42
  • "Me siento calor" is not valid Spanish.Neither is "Siento triste".
    – J A Terroba
    May 25, 2017 at 17:31

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