intenso
/een-TEHN-soh/
intense
When referring to physical strength or concentration, intenso means strong or powerful, like a blazing fire.
📝 In Action
El calor este verano ha sido muy intenso.
A2The heat this summer has been very intense/strong.
Necesitas una luz más intensa para poder leer en la noche.
B1You need a more intense light to be able to read at night.
El entrenamiento de hoy fue realmente intenso.
B1Today's workout was really intense.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
Like most Spanish adjectives, 'intenso' must change to match the thing it describes. If you talk about 'la lluvia' (feminine), you must say 'la lluvia intensa'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Muy'
To express 'very intense,' use 'muy intenso.' To express 'extremely intense,' use the special form 'intensísimo' (or 'intensísima').
When describing emotions or feelings, intenso means they are deeply felt or highly concentrated.
intenso(Adjective)
intense
?emotional, deeply felt
passionate
?person, feeling
,deep
?emotion, focus
📝 In Action
Ella tiene sentimientos muy intensos sobre la justicia social.
B2She has very intense feelings about social justice.
Es una persona muy intensa; siempre está pensando en el futuro.
B2He is a very intense person; he's always thinking about the future (meaning deeply focused/serious).
Tuvieron un debate intenso sobre política.
C1They had an intense debate about politics.
💡 Grammar Points
Using Ser vs. Estar
Since 'intenso' usually describes a core characteristic (like a personality trait or inherent strength), it almost always uses the verb 'ser' (e.g., 'Ella es intensa').
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: intenso
Question 1 of 1
¿Cuál de estas frases usa 'intenso' para describir una emoción o un sentimiento profundo?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make 'intenso' sound stronger, like 'extremely intense'?
You can use the absolute superlative form, which is 'intensísimo' (or 'intensísima' for feminine nouns). This means 'extremely intense' or 'very, very intense' without needing the word 'muy'.
Is 'intenso' always a positive word?
Not always. While it can describe positive things like passion or strong flavor, it is often used for negative things like 'dolor intenso' (intense pain) or 'trabajo intenso' (heavy/stressful work).