Inklingo

How to Say "gut feeling" in Spanish

English → Spanish

corazonada

/ko-ra-so-NA-da//koɾasoˈnaða/

nounB1informal
Use 'corazonada' when you have a specific, often sudden, intuitive feeling or hunch about something happening or about to happen.
A person standing at a fork in a forest path, looking towards one trail with a soft, warm glow emanating from their chest.

Examples

Tuve la corazonada de que vendrías hoy.

I had a hunch that you would come today.

Siempre sigo mi corazonada cuando conozco a alguien nuevo.

I always follow my gut feeling when I meet someone new.

Fue una simple corazonada la que me hizo comprar el billete de lotería.

It was a simple hunch that made me buy the lottery ticket.

Using 'Tener' with Corazonada

Just like in English we 'have' a hunch, in Spanish you almost always use 'tener' (to have) or 'seguir' (to follow) with this word.

The Gender of Intuition

This word is always feminine ('la corazonada'), even if a man is the one having the feeling.

Avoid literal 'Heart' meanings

Mistake: “Me duele la corazonada.”

Correction: Me duele el corazón.

intuición

nounB1informal
Use 'intuición' for a more general, innate ability to understand or know something without conscious reasoning, often expressed as a strong inner voice.

Examples

Mi intuición me dice que algo no va bien.

My intuition tells me that something is not right.

Corazonada vs. Intuición

Learners often confuse 'corazonada' and 'intuición' because both relate to internal feelings. Remember that 'corazonada' is typically a specific hunch about an event, while 'intuición' is a broader, more constant inner knowing or faculty.

Related Translations

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