intento
“intento” means “attempt” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
attempt, try
Also: effort
📝 In Action
Después de varios intentos, finalmente lo logré.
A2After several attempts, I finally managed it.
Hizo un intento de llamar, pero nadie contestó.
B1He made an attempt to call, but nobody answered.
Vale la pena hacer el intento.
B1It's worth making the attempt / It's worth a try.
I try, I attempt
📝 In Action
Intento hablar español todos los días.
A1I try to speak Spanish every day.
No sé si funcionará, pero lo intento.
A2I don't know if it will work, but I'm trying.
Intento no pensar en el problema.
B1I try not to think about the problem.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: intento
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'intento' to mean 'an attempt' (the noun)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'intendere', which meant 'to stretch out' or 'to direct one's attention toward'. You can see the idea of 'directing your effort' toward a goal is still there in the modern Spanish word.
First recorded: Around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the easiest way to tell if 'intento' is the noun or the verb?
Look for a little word right before it. If you see 'un', 'el', 'mi', or 'su' before 'intento' (like 'un intento'), it's the noun meaning 'an attempt'. If 'intento' is right after 'yo' or just by itself as the action word, it's the verb 'I try'.
Is 'intento' the same as 'trato'?
They are very similar! Both 'intento' (from 'intentar') and 'trato' (from 'tratar de') mean 'I try'. They are often interchangeable. 'Intento' can sometimes sound a little stronger, like you're making a more determined effort, but in daily conversation, you can use either.