Inklingo
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A simple blue silhouette of a human head shown in profile. Inside the head, a bright yellow abstract shape glows brightly, representing mental activity or thought.

mental

men-TAHL

adjectivem/fA2
mental?related to the mind
Also:psychological?related to state of mind,intellectual?related to thought processes

📝 In Action

Necesito tomar un descanso mental después de estudiar tanto.

A2

I need to take a mental break after studying so much.

La salud mental es tan importante como la salud física.

B1

Mental health is as important as physical health.

El doctor evaluó su estado mental antes de darle el alta.

B2

The doctor evaluated his mental state before discharging him.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • psicológico (psychological)
  • intelectual (intellectual)

Antonyms

  • físico (physical)
  • corporal (bodily)

Common Collocations

  • salud mental – mental health
  • agilidad mental – mental agility
  • bloqueo mental – mental block

💡 Grammar Points

Always Agrees in Number

Since 'mental' ends in 'l', it is one of those adjectives that stays the same whether the noun is masculine or feminine (e.g., 'el esfuerzo mental', 'la fatiga mental'). You only need to make it plural: 'mentales'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Use with Abstract Nouns

You will most often hear 'mental' used with abstract nouns like 'salud' (health), 'estado' (state), 'esfuerzo' (effort), or 'bloqueo' (block).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: mental

Question 1 of 1

Which phrase correctly uses 'mental' to talk about a quick thought calculation?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

mente(mind) - noun
mentalidad(mentality/mindset) - noun
mentalmente(mentally) - adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

How is 'mental' different from 'inteligente'?

They are related but different. 'Inteligente' means smart or clever. 'Mental' is the adjective describing anything *related* to the mind or thinking process itself, such as 'mental health' or 'mental exercise,' whether or not it involves high intelligence.

Does 'mental' ever change its ending for feminine nouns?

No. Because 'mental' ends in the letter 'l', it is an adjective that keeps the same form for both masculine and feminine nouns. The only change is adding '-es' for the plural.