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instintos

een-STEEN-tohs/inˈstintos/

“instintos” means “instincts” in Spanish (natural behavior or urges).

instincts

Also: gut feelings, urges
NounmB1
Mexico
A colorful storybook illustration showing a small bird holding a twig, standing on a branch next to a partially built nest, demonstrating natural, unlearned behavior.

📝 In Action

Los animales siguen sus instintos para encontrar comida.

A2

Animals follow their instincts to find food.

Tienes que confiar en tus instintos; casi siempre son correctos.

B1

You have to trust your gut feelings; they are almost always correct.

El instinto maternal es muy fuerte en muchas especies.

B2

The maternal instinct is very strong in many species.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • intuición (intuition)
  • corazonadas (gut feelings (literally 'heart-thumps'))

Antonyms

  • razón (reason)
  • lógica (logic)

Common Collocations

  • seguir los instintos – to follow one's instincts
  • instintos básicos – basic instincts

Idioms & Expressions

  • actuar por instinto – To act without thinking, based on a natural reaction.

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "instintos" in Spanish:

gut feelings→instincts→urges→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: instintos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'instintos'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
instinto(instinct (singular)) — Noun
instintivo(instinctive) — Adjective
instintivamente(instinctively) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
distintosrecintos
📚 Etymology▼

This word comes from the Latin word *instinctus*, meaning 'impulse' or 'instigation.' It refers to an inner drive that pushes you to act without needing to learn how.

First recorded: 15th century (as instinto in Spanish)

Cognates (Related words)

English: instinctPortuguese: instintosItalian: istinti

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'instintos' the same as 'intuición'?

They are very similar! 'Instintos' usually refers to deep, biological urges (like a survival instinct), while 'intuición' (intuition) is more often used for a sudden, unexplained feeling or hunch about a situation or person.

How do I refer to just one instinct (singular)?

The singular form is 'instinto' (el instinto), meaning 'the instinct' or 'the urge.' Remember it remains masculine.