Inklingo

How to Say "lie" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mentira

men-TEE-rah/menˈtiɾa/

NounA1General
Use 'mentira' for any untruth, from a small fib to a significant falsehood. It is the most general and common term.
A simple storybook character looking slightly guilty, featuring an exaggeratedly long wooden nose, symbolizing the act of telling a lie.

Examples

No puedes confiar en él, siempre dice mentiras.

You can't trust him, he always tells lies.

Descubrimos que toda su historia era una mentira.

We discovered that his entire story was a falsehood.

¡Qué mentira tan grande me contaste!

What a big lie you told me!

Gender Rule

As a noun ending in -a, 'mentira' is always feminine. Use 'la' before it, or 'una' if you are referring to one lie.

Using the Verb vs. the Noun

Mistake: “I lie = *Yo soy mentira.* (Incorrect: This means 'I am a lie'.)”

Correction: The action of lying uses the verb *mentir*: *Yo miento.* (I lie.)

bola

/boh-lah//ˈbo.la/

NounB1Informal
Use 'bola' informally for a fib or an obvious untruth, often said with a dismissive tone.
A small figure whispering into another person's ear, and the whispered sound visually manifests as a disproportionately large, absurd object, symbolizing a lie.

Examples

¡No me vengas con esa bola! Sé que no es verdad.

Don't give me that lie! I know it's not true.

Se inventó una bola sobre por qué llegó tarde.

He made up a tall tale about why he was late.

cuento

KWEN-toh/ˈkwen̪.t̪o/

NounB1Informal
Use 'cuento' for an excuse or a fabricated story presented as a lie, implying it's an unbelievable tale.
A cartoon character standing awkwardly, attempting to hide a large, ridiculously fake object behind their back, symbolizing a lie.

Examples

¡Ese es un cuento muy viejo! No te creo nada.

That's a very old excuse! I don't believe anything you say.

Siempre viene con el mismo cuento de que el tráfico fue terrible.

He always comes up with the same story/excuse about the traffic being terrible.

No me vengas con cuentos, sé la verdad.

Don't give me any of your nonsense; I know the truth.

General vs. Informal 'Lie'

Learners often confuse 'mentira' with 'bola' and 'cuento'. Remember that 'mentira' is the universal term for any lie. 'Bola' and 'cuento' are informal and used for less serious, often unbelievable, untruths or excuses.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.