inteligencia
/in-te-li-HÉN-sya/
intelligence
When inteligencia refers to mental capacity, it is often visualized as a bright idea or a spark of thought.
inteligencia(noun)
intelligence
?mental capacity
,smartness
?cleverness
intellect
?high capacity for thought
📝 In Action
Ella demostró una gran inteligencia resolviendo el problema.
A2She showed great intelligence by solving the problem.
La inteligencia artificial avanza muy rápido.
B1Artificial intelligence is advancing very quickly.
¿Crees que la inteligencia se hereda o se aprende?
B2Do you think intelligence is inherited or learned?
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Check
Even though 'inteligencia' ends in -a, remember it is a feminine noun. You will use 'la inteligencia' or 'mucha inteligencia'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Inteligente' as a Noun
Mistake: "Habló con el inteligencia del grupo."
Correction: Habló con la persona inteligente del grupo. ('Inteligencia' is the quality, 'inteligente' is the adjective.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing People
To say someone IS intelligent, use the adjective: 'Él es inteligente.' To talk about the quality they possess, use the noun: 'Él tiene inteligencia'.
The word inteligencia can also refer to secret information or data gathered by a spy agency.
📝 In Action
El departamento de inteligencia descubrió la conspiración.
B2The intelligence department discovered the conspiracy.
Necesitamos más inteligencia sobre la ubicación del enemigo.
C1We need more intelligence (secret information) about the enemy's location.
💡 Grammar Points
Context is Key
When you see 'inteligencia' used with words like 'agencia' (agency) or 'servicios' (services), it almost always refers to government spying or secret data, not just general smartness.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: inteligencia
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'inteligencia' to mean 'secret information' rather than 'mental ability'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'inteligencia' countable?
Generally, no. When referring to the mental quality, it is treated as an uncountable concept (like 'water' or 'love'). However, when referring to different types of intelligence (e.g., 'inteligencias múltiples'), it can be used in the plural.
What is the difference between 'inteligencia' and 'intelecto'?
'Inteligencia' is the general ability to understand and learn. 'Intelecto' (intellect) is often used in a slightly more formal context, referring specifically to the mental ability to reason and think abstractly.