Introduction
intentarás is a useful Spanish word for talking about what someone will try or attempt in the future. You may see it in a lesson, hear it in a conversation, or use it when making plans with a friend. It comes from the common verb intentar, which means to try or attempt. The ending tells you something important: the action belongs to tú, the familiar way to say you to one person, and it is expected to happen in the future.
Learning this form can help you understand plans, promises, suggestions, and predictions. For example, a Spanish speaker might use it to ask whether you will try a new activity or to say that you will make an effort to finish a task. The word is not a command, even when it appears in a question. In this guide, you will learn its exact meaning, how to build and pronounce it, and how it differs from similar expressions. You will also see natural examples that show how intentarás works in everyday Spanish.
Meaning and Definition
intentarás means you will try or you will attempt. It is the simple future form of intentar for the subject tú. In Spanish, the subject pronoun is often left out because the verb ending already gives a strong clue about who is acting. So intentarás by itself can mean you will try, while tú intentarás makes the subject clear or adds emphasis.
The infinitive intentar means to try, to attempt, or to make an effort to do something. The future ending -ás marks the second-person singular form and signals that the action is expected, planned, or imagined in the future. In grammar terms, intentarás is the second-person singular simple future indicative of intentar. The indicative mood presents the action as a real possibility, plan, or prediction rather than as a wish or command.
A common pattern is intentar followed directly by another verb in the infinitive. For instance, intentar aprender means to try to learn, and intentar resolver means to try to solve. Unlike some Spanish verbs, intentar does not normally need the preposition de before the next infinitive. You can also use intentar with a noun, as in intentar una actividad, meaning to try an activity.
The word describes an effort, but it does not promise success. If someone says that you will try a new recipe, the sentence tells us about your planned effort, not whether the recipe will turn out well. This difference is useful: intentarás focuses on making an attempt, while other verbs may focus on completing an action or achieving a result.
The verb intentar is related to the idea of directing one’s effort toward a goal. Its history is commonly traced to Latin intentare, which carried the sense of directing or aiming toward something. This background fits the modern meaning: when you try to do something, you direct effort toward it. You do not need to know the Latin history to use the word, but it can help connect its meaning to the idea of making an effort.
In ordinary speech, the future tense can express a clear plan, a prediction, or a question about what a person plans to do. Context makes the exact meaning clear. A question such as ¿intentarás cocinar hoy? asks whether the person will try to cook today. A statement such as mañana intentarás otra vez says that the person will try again tomorrow. In both cases, the action is viewed from the present and placed in the future.
Usage and Example Sentences
The examples below show the word in questions, statements, and different sentence patterns. Notice that the subject tú is optional, and that an infinitive often follows the verb directly.
Spanish: ¿intentarás aprender una palabra nueva cada día?
English: Will you try to learn a new word every day?
Spanish: Mañana intentarás preparar el desayuno con una receta sencilla.
English: Tomorrow you will try to prepare breakfast with a simple recipe.
Spanish: Si tienes tiempo, intentarás terminar el libro esta semana.
English: If you have time, you will try to finish the book this week.
Spanish: ¿intentarás hablar en español durante la clase?
English: Will you try to speak in Spanish during class?
Spanish: Con un poco de práctica, intentarás tocar esa canción.
English: With a little practice, you will try to play that song.
Spanish: Esta tarde intentarás encontrar una ruta más corta al parque.
English: This afternoon you will try to find a shorter route to the park.
Spanish: Sé que intentarás ayudar a tu compañero con el ejercicio.
English: I know you will try to help your classmate with the exercise.
Spanish: ¿intentarás hacer una pregunta en español en la próxima reunión?
English: Will you try to ask a question in Spanish at the next meeting?
In the first, fourth, and last examples, the word begins a question. Spanish uses an opening question mark at the beginning and a closing question mark at the end. The verb still has the same future meaning. It is not a special question form; the question marks and the speaker’s intonation show that the sentence asks something.
In several examples, intentarás is followed by an infinitive, such as aprender, preparar, hablar, or tocar. The second verb stays in its basic form because the first verb already carries the tense and the subject. In other examples, the sentence gives extra information about time or conditions, such as mañana, esta tarde, or si tienes tiempo.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Word Usage Differences
A close alternative is probarás, the tú future form of probar. Depending on the context, probar can mean you will try, test, taste, or experience something. You might use it for trying a new food or testing whether an idea works. Intentar usually highlights making an effort to do an action, especially when that action may take work. The two verbs can overlap, but they are not always interchangeable.
Another useful expression is tratar de. Tratarás de aprender means you will try to learn. When tratar is followed by an infinitive in this meaning, Spanish uses de between the two verbs. By contrast, the usual pattern is intentar aprender, without de. Both expressions are natural, so learners can choose either one while remembering the different structure.
Esforzarse means to make an effort or to exert oneself. Its future tú form is te esforzarás. It often emphasizes the effort a person puts in, rather than simply naming an attempt. For example, te esforzarás por mejorar means you will make an effort to improve. Because esforzarse is a reflexive verb, it needs the matching pronoun te with tú. Intentarás does not need that pronoun.
Lograrás means you will manage to or succeed in doing something. This word focuses on reaching a result. Intentarás focuses on trying, whether or not the result is reached. Compare intentarás resolver el problema, you will try to solve the problem, with lograrás resolver el problema, you will manage to solve the problem. The first leaves the outcome open; the second suggests success.
There is no single opposite that fits every use of intentar. Depending on the sentence, you might express the opposite idea with no lo harás, you will not do it, or desistirás, you will give up. These alternatives change the meaning and tone. No lo harás simply says the action will not happen, while desistirás suggests stopping an effort that has already begun. Neither should automatically replace an expression about trying.
For a learner, the easiest choice is to ask what part of the meaning matters most. Use intentar when you mean making an attempt. Use probar when you mean testing, tasting, or giving something a try. Use tratar de when you want another common way to express trying, and include de before the next infinitive. Use lograr when the important point is success or completion. These distinctions help your Spanish sound more precise.
Pronunciation and Accent
The pronunciation of intentarás can be shown in IPA as /in.ten.taˈɾas/. A simple syllable guide is in-ten-ta-RÁS. The final syllable receives the strongest stress. In this transcription, the symbol ˈ appears just before the stressed syllable. The Spanish r in the final syllable is a light tap, similar to the single r sound in pero, not the stronger rolled sound heard in perro.
The written accent over á is important. Spanish words that end in a vowel, n, or s usually have stress on the next-to-last syllable. When a word ending in one of those letters has stress on its last syllable, a written accent shows the unusual stress pattern. In this case, the accent mark tells you to stress -rás rather than the syllable before it. Without the mark, a reader would normally place the stress differently.
Say the word smoothly in four syllables: in, ten, ta, rás. Keep the vowels clear and fairly even. Spanish vowels are usually shorter and more stable than English vowels, so avoid turning the last á into a long English-style glide. The final s should be audible in careful speech, though its exact strength can vary by region and speaking speed.
A common mistake is stressing the middle syllable, as if the word were in-ten-TA-ras. Another is treating the final r like an English r. For a clear Spanish sound, use a quick tongue tap behind the upper teeth. Remembering the accent mark is a practical way to remember both the stress and the correct written form.
Native Speaker Nuance and Usage Context
Spanish speakers use intentarás in everyday conversations about plans, goals, and possible actions. A family member might ask whether you will try a new recipe. A teacher might talk about what you will attempt in a class activity. A friend might say that you will try again next time. The tone can be warm, neutral, or encouraging, depending on the situation and the speaker’s voice.
Although the ending refers to tú, the word does not itself make a sentence informal or rude. Tú is the familiar singular you, commonly used with friends, relatives, classmates, and children, though customs vary across Spanish-speaking communities. In a more formal situation, a speaker may use usted instead. The corresponding future form is intentará, meaning you will try in the formal singular, or he or she will try. The surrounding conversation tells you which subject is intended.
The simple future is correct, but Spanish speakers also commonly talk about plans with ir a plus an infinitive. For example, vas a intentar aprender means you are going to try to learn. This construction often sounds direct and conversational when describing a planned action. The future form can sound like a prediction, a promise, a question, or a more general statement about what will happen. Both patterns are useful, and the best choice depends on the speaker’s meaning and style.
In a question, the word may sound like a gentle invitation or a request for someone’s plan, especially when spoken with a friendly tone. ¿intentarás participar? can ask whether you plan to take part. It does not automatically order the listener to do so. If a speaker wants to give a direct command, Spanish uses the imperative form intenta, as in intenta otra vez, try again. This distinction helps prevent confusion between asking about the future and telling someone what to do.
Native speakers may leave out tú because the ending already points to that subject. They may include tú to contrast it with another person, to make the subject especially clear, or to add emphasis. For instance, tú intentarás una actividad y yo prepararé los materiales means you will try an activity and I will prepare the materials. Without a contrast, the pronoun is often unnecessary.
One natural feature of the word is that it leaves room for uncertainty about the outcome. A speaker can encourage someone by saying that they will try, without claiming that success is guaranteed. That makes it useful for talking about learning, hobbies, school tasks, and new experiences. The verb can describe a small effort or a serious goal; the rest of the sentence supplies the scale and the context.
Conclusion
intentarás means you will try or you will attempt. It is the simple future form of intentar for tú, and it often appears before an infinitive without the preposition de, as in intentarás aprender. It can describe a plan, a prediction, or a question about a future effort, but it does not guarantee that the person will succeed. For a result-focused meaning, lograrás may be a better fit; for testing or tasting something, probarás may be more precise.
To pronounce the word, divide it into in-ten-ta-rás and stress the final syllable. The accent mark over á is essential because it shows where the stress belongs. Remembering the difference between a future statement and the command intenta will also help you use it naturally. With these points in mind, you can recognize intentarás in conversation and use it to talk about future goals, plans, and attempts with confidence.
