Inklingo

How to Say "hunch" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “hunch” is “corazonada” — use 'corazonada' when you have a strong feeling or premonition about a future event, often with a sense of certainty.

English → Spanish

corazonada

ko-ra-so-NA-dakoɾasoˈnaða

nounB1general
Use 'corazonada' when you have a strong feeling or premonition about a future event, often with a sense of certainty.
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

nounB1general
Choose 'intuición' when the feeling is less about predicting the future and more about an inner knowing or understanding of a situation's truth.

Examples

Mi intuición me dice que algo no va bien.

My intuition tells me that something is not right.

instinto

een-STEEN-tohinˈstinto

nounB2general
Use 'instinto' for a quick, almost animalistic feeling or reaction that guides your decision-making, often related to survival or immediate danger.
A young child standing still, gently holding their hand over their stomach, which emits a faint, soft yellow glow, symbolizing intuition or a 'gut feeling.'

Examples

Mi instinto me dice que esta inversión es un error.

My gut feeling tells me this investment is a mistake.

Ella tiene un buen instinto para los negocios.

She has good intuition for business.

presentimiento

pre-sen-tee-mee-en-tohpɾesentiˈmjento

nounB2general
Opt for 'presentimiento' when the hunch is a vague, often negative, feeling that something bad or significant is about to happen.
A high quality storybook illustration showing a young child standing on a grassy path. Floating in the air just in front of the child's face is a small, translucent, glowing image of a bright red umbrella, symbolizing a sudden premonition.

Examples

Tuve un presentimiento de que algo no iba bien en la reunión.

I had a premonition that something wasn't going well in the meeting.

Ella siempre confía en sus presentimientos, y rara vez se equivoca.

She always trusts her hunches, and she is rarely wrong.

Un profundo presentimiento de fatalidad la invadió al leer la carta.

A deep sense of foreboding overcame her upon reading the letter.

Masculine Noun

Remember that 'presentimiento' is a masculine noun, so you must use 'el' or 'un' before it: 'El presentimiento' (The premonition).

Confusing 'Presentimiento' and 'Sentimiento'

Mistake: “Using 'sentimiento' when you mean an intuition about the future.”

Correction: 'Presentimiento' is about sensing the *future* (pre-), while 'sentimiento' is about current *emotions* (feeling/emotion).

Corazonada vs. Presentimiento

Learners often confuse 'corazonada' and 'presentimiento'. 'Corazonada' can be positive or negative and implies a stronger sense of knowing, while 'presentimiento' is usually negative and suggests a vague foreboding of something bad.

Related Translations

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