Spanish Phrase
Hoy no me siento bien.
Meaning
Literally, 'Today I don’t feel well.' It can refer to physical illness, a headache, or simply not feeling emotionally balanced. The phrase is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to tell a friend, colleague, or a medical professional that you are unwell today. It works well as a response to '¿Cómo estás?' or as a brief explanation for canceling plans.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Hoynomesientobien
Hoy (adverb of time)
Means 'today' and is placed at the beginning of the sentence to set the time frame.
no (negation)
Negates the verb that follows; placed before the verb phrase.
me (reflexive pronoun)
First‑person singular reflexive pronoun required by the verb sentir when it means 'to feel'.
siento (verb sentir, 1st‑person present)
Conjugated in the present indicative; with the reflexive pronoun it means 'I feel'.
bien (adverb)
Describes the quality of the feeling; 'well' or 'good'.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cómo estás?
How are you?
Hoy no me siento bien.
I don’t feel well today.
✕Common Mistakes
Hoy no me siento bueno.
‘Bueno’ is an adjective; you need the adverb ‘bien’ after sentir.
Hoy no siento bien.
When talking about your own feeling you must use the reflexive form ‘me siento’.
Hoy no me siento mal.
This actually means ‘I don’t feel bad’, the opposite of the intended meaning.
↔Alternatives
Hoy estoy enfermo.
I’m sick today.
No me encuentro bien hoy.
I don’t feel well today.
Me siento mal hoy.
I feel bad today.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries it’s common to be direct about health; saying you ‘no te sientes bien’ is perfectly acceptable. If you want to sound a bit more polite or less dramatic, you can say ‘Estoy un poco indispuesto/a’ (I’m a little under the weather). Remember that ‘bien’ is an adverb, so you never say *‘no me siento bueno’* when talking about how you feel.