How to Say "they tried" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “they tried” is “intentaron” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Intentaron subir la montaña antes de que anocheciera.
They tried to climb the mountain before it got dark.
Los doctores intentaron varias terapias nuevas sin éxito.
The doctors attempted several new therapies without success.
Ustedes intentaron convencerlo, pero él ya había tomado su decisión.
You (all) tried to convince him, but he had already made up his mind.
Using 'Intentar' with Actions
When 'intentar' is followed by another verb, you simply use the infinitive (the base form) of the second verb: 'Intentaron salir' (They tried to leave). You do not need 'de' like you sometimes see with 'tratar de'.
Preterite Tense (Completed Action)
'Intentaron' tells you that the attempt started and finished at a specific point in the past. It was a completed action, regardless of whether they succeeded or failed.
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: “Usando 'intentaban' when you mean 'intentaron'.”
Correction: 'Intentaban' (imperfect) means 'they were trying' or 'they used to try' (ongoing action). 'Intentaron' (preterite) means 'they tried' (a single, finished attempt).
Related Translations
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