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A simplified illustration showing the profile silhouette of a human head, filled entirely with colorful, swirling clouds and small, glowing lightbulbs to represent active thought and intellect.

mente

/men-tay/

NounfA2
mind?intellect, thoughts, consciousness
Also:intention?as in 'tener en mente' (to have in mind),memory?as in 'venir a la mente' (to come to mind)

📝 In Action

Tengo muchas cosas en la mente ahora mismo.

A2

I have a lot of things on my mind right now.

Es importante mantener una mente abierta y flexible.

B1

It's important to keep an open and flexible mind.

Su nombre no me viene a la mente en este momento.

B1

His name doesn't come to mind at this moment.

Ella tiene una de las mentes más brillantes de su generación.

B2

She has one of the most brilliant minds of her generation.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • intelecto (intellect)
  • razón (reason)
  • pensamiento (thought)

Common Collocations

  • tener en mente – to have in mind / to keep in mind
  • venir a la mente – to come to mind
  • mente abierta – open mind
  • cambiar de mente – to change one's mind
  • leer la mente – to read someone's mind

Idioms & Expressions

  • Se me fue de la mente – It slipped my mind; I forgot.
  • tener una mente de teflón – To be very forgetful; for things to not 'stick' in your mind.

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine: 'la mente'

'Mente' is a feminine noun, so it always uses 'la' or 'una'. For example, you would say 'una mente brillante' (a brilliant mind), not 'un mente brillante'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'Mente' (Mind) and 'Cerebro' (Brain)

Mistake: "Me duele la mente."

Correction: Say 'Me duele la cabeza' (My head hurts). 'Mente' is the abstract concept of your thoughts and intellect, while 'cerebro' is the physical organ. You can't feel pain in your 'mente'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Sounding Natural When You Forget

To say something 'slipped my mind', a very natural phrase is 'Se me fue de la mente' or 'Se me olvidó'. Using this structure makes you sound much more like a native speaker.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: mente

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence best translates to 'Keep this idea in mind'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

mental(mental) - adjective
mentalmente(mentally) - adverb
mentalidad(mentality) - noun
demente(demented, insane) - adjective/noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'mente', 'cerebro', and 'cabeza'?

Great question! 'Cabeza' is your physical head. 'Cerebro' is the physical brain inside your head. 'Mente' is the abstract concept of your mind – your thoughts, intellect, and memory. You think *with* your 'cerebro' and 'cabeza', but your thoughts *are in* your 'mente'.

Is 'mental' always a negative word in Spanish?

Not at all! While it can be part of phrases related to mental health ('salud mental'), it's often neutral. For example, 'cálculo mental' means 'mental math', and 'agilidad mental' means 'mental agility'. It just means 'related to the mind'.