Introduction
intentaremos is a useful Spanish verb form for talking about plans, shared goals, and future efforts. It means we will try or we will attempt. You can use it when you and another person, or a group that includes you, plan to make an effort to do something. For example, you might use it to talk about learning a new skill, finding a place, or finishing a project together.
Understanding intentaremos also teaches you an important pattern in Spanish: the simple future tense. The ending tells you who will act and when, so you do not need to add a separate word for we. This makes the form both practical and easy to recognize once you know its parts. In this guide, you will learn its meaning, pronunciation, grammar, and common uses, with clear examples and translations. By the end, you should be able to understand it in conversation and use it naturally when describing something you plan to try.
Meaning and Definition
Intentaremos means we will try or we will attempt. It is the simple future form of the verb intentar, which means to try or attempt. The subject is nosotros or nosotras, meaning we. Spanish often leaves out this subject pronoun because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action. So, Intentaremos aprender can mean We will try to learn, even without nosotros.
The word describes an intention or effort in the future. It tells your listener that you plan to do something, but it does not promise that you will succeed. For instance, if you say that you will try to arrive early, you are expressing a plan and a willingness to make an effort. You are not guaranteeing that you will arrive early. This difference is useful in everyday conversation because the form sounds hopeful and realistic at the same time.
The form is built from the infinitive intentar and the future ending -emos. In Spanish, regular verbs in the simple future generally keep the full infinitive and add an ending. For verbs ending in -ar, -er, or -ir, the nosotros ending is the same: -emos. The pattern is intentar + emos, producing intentaremos. Compare it with hablar, which becomes hablaremos, and comer, which becomes comeremos. The same future ending helps you recognize a first-person plural subject across many verbs.
The verb intentar comes from Latin intentare, related to directing effort toward something. This history fits its modern meaning: a person focuses effort on a goal, even if the result is uncertain. In Spanish today, however, you do not need to think about the Latin origin to use the word. It is enough to remember that intentar usually takes another verb in the infinitive when you say what you will try to do: intentar aprender, intentar cocinar, or intentar llegar.
In English, try can have several meanings, including tasting or testing something. Spanish intentar usually refers to making an effort or attempting an action. If you want to say that you will taste a food, probar is often the more natural choice. This difference matters when translating directly from English. Choose intentaremos when the idea is making an effort, not simply sampling or testing something.
Usage and Example Sentences
Here are examples of intentaremos in everyday contexts. Notice that it is often followed by an infinitive verb, such as terminar, aprender, or encontrar. The infinitive stays unchanged after intentar. The English translation may use we will try to or we will attempt to.
Spanish: Intentaremos terminar el proyecto antes del viernes.
English: We will try to finish the project before Friday.
Spanish: Intentaremos aprender cinco palabras nuevas cada día.
English: We will try to learn five new words each day.
Spanish: Si tenemos tiempo, intentaremos visitar el museo.
English: If we have time, we will try to visit the museum.
Spanish: Intentaremos preparar una cena sencilla para todos.
English: We will try to prepare a simple dinner for everyone.
Spanish: Esta tarde intentaremos encontrar una solución práctica.
English: This afternoon, we will try to find a practical solution.
Spanish: Intentaremos llegar temprano para elegir buenos asientos.
English: We will try to arrive early to choose good seats.
Spanish: Con un poco de práctica, intentaremos tocar esta canción.
English: With a little practice, we will try to play this song.
Spanish: Intentaremos organizar los libros por tema.
English: We will try to organize the books by topic.
Spanish: Si el clima es agradable, intentaremos caminar por el parque.
English: If the weather is pleasant, we will try to walk through the park.
Spanish: Intentaremos explicar la idea con palabras más sencillas.
English: We will try to explain the idea in simpler words.
In these examples, the form can appear at the beginning or later in the sentence. It can also follow a condition, such as si tenemos tiempo, meaning if we have time. The time expression or surrounding sentence makes the future plan clear. You can use it with a specific time, such as esta tarde, or without one when the future is already understood.
One common structure is intentar + infinitive. Do not add a preposition between the two verbs: say intentaremos estudiar, not intentaremos a estudiar. If you want to name the goal as a noun instead, you can use intentar with that noun, as in intentaremos una actividad nueva, meaning we will try a new activity. In ordinary speech, a following infinitive is especially common when describing an action.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Word Usage Differences
The closest related form is intentar, the infinitive meaning to try or attempt. Its conjugation changes according to the subject and tense. Intento can mean I try or an attempt, while intentamos can mean we try or we are trying, depending on context. Intentaremos specifically points to the future: we will try. Recognizing these related forms can help you understand a conversation even when you do not know every word.
Probar is another common verb that can translate as to try, but it often means to test, sample, or experience something. For example, probar una receta can mean to try a recipe, perhaps by making it or tasting it. If you mean that you will make an effort to complete a task, intentar is usually clearer: intentaremos completar la tarea. If you mean that you will sample a new flavor, probar is usually more natural.
Tratar de also means to try to do something. A speaker might say trataremos de aprender, meaning we will try to learn. The construction uses tratar followed by de and an infinitive. In contrast, intentar goes directly before the infinitive: intentaremos aprender. Both can be correct, and the choice often depends on the speaker or sentence. For a learner, the key grammar difference is to remember de after tratar and no preposition after intentar.
Procurar can mean to try, make an effort, or take care to do something. It can sound a little more deliberate or careful in some contexts. For instance, procuraremos hablar con claridad means we will try to speak clearly or we will take care to speak clearly. Esforzarse means to make an effort or work hard. It emphasizes the effort itself more strongly than intentar. These words overlap, but they are not always interchangeable.
There is no single perfect opposite of intentaremos. Depending on what you want to say, you could use no intentaremos, meaning we will not try, or desistiremos, meaning we will give up or stop pursuing an effort. The second option is stronger and describes a decision to stop. If your meaning is simply that you have no plan to attempt something, the negative form is more direct and neutral.
To choose the right word, ask what kind of trying you mean. Use intentar when you plan to make an effort toward an action. Use probar when you mean tasting, testing, or experiencing something. Use tratar de when you want another common way to say try to, and remember its de. Use procurar when you want to stress care or intention, and esforzarse when you want to highlight hard work. These distinctions make your Spanish sound more precise without requiring complicated grammar.
Pronunciation and Accent
A useful pronunciation guide for intentaremos is in-ten-ta-RE-mos. In IPA, it can be written as /in.ten.taˈɾe.mos/. The symbol /ɾ/ represents the light Spanish r, a quick tap of the tongue just behind the upper front teeth. The word has five syllables: in, ten, ta, re, and mos. Say each vowel clearly, rather than turning the word into one long English-style sound.
The stress falls on the syllable re: in-ten-ta-RE-mos. Spanish words that end in a vowel, n, or s usually have stress on the next-to-last syllable unless a written accent mark shows otherwise. Here, the next-to-last syllable is re, so the spelling follows the regular rule and does not need an accent mark. The final s is pronounced, making the ending sound like mos rather than mo.
English speakers sometimes place the stress too early, saying in-TEN-ta-re-mos, or too late, stressing mos. Listen for the strong re syllable and practice it slowly before saying the whole word at a natural pace. Another common challenge is the Spanish r in re. It is a quick tap, not the longer English r sound. The vowels are also steady: Spanish e sounds similar to the vowel in the English word met, while Spanish o is a clear, rounded sound.
Try dividing the form into its meaningful parts as well as its sounds: intentar plus emos. First say intentar, then add the future ending, and finally blend the word smoothly. This can help you remember both pronunciation and grammar. Since there is no accent mark, do not add one when writing it. The spelling intentaremos is correct, with no accent over any letter.
Native Speaker Nuance and Usage Context
Native speakers use intentaremos for shared plans that involve effort but may not have a guaranteed outcome. It is natural when making a suggestion, setting a goal, or reassuring someone that a group is willing to make an effort. For example, a teacher and students might say intentaremos resolverlo juntos, meaning we will try to solve it together. The word can sound cooperative because its subject includes the speaker and at least one other person.
The form can appear in both informal and formal situations. Friends may use it when discussing what they plan to do over the weekend, while colleagues may use it when talking about a task or schedule. It is not especially formal or casual by itself. The rest of the sentence and the setting determine the tone. A polite expression such as intentaremos responder pronto can work in a professional message, while intentaremos cocinar algo nuevo can fit a relaxed conversation at home.
Spanish speakers often leave out nosotros or nosotras. They may say intentaremos llegar a las seis rather than nosotros intentaremos llegar a las seis. Both are grammatically correct, but the pronoun is usually unnecessary unless the speaker wants to emphasize who will make the effort or contrast one group with another. Because the verb ending already signals we, listening to that ending is an important skill for learners.
The simple future is useful for plans, predictions, and statements about later actions. In everyday Spanish, speakers may also use ir a plus an infinitive for an intended plan: vamos a intentar, meaning we are going to try. The choice depends on the context and the speaker’s style. Intentaremos is concise and can sound like a straightforward future statement. Vamos a intentar may feel more conversational when describing a plan that is already in view.
Context also helps distinguish a promise from an intention. If someone says intentaremos llamarte mañana, the group plans to call tomorrow, but the phrase still leaves room for circumstances to change. If the speaker wants to promise a definite action, a direct future verb such as te llamaremos, meaning we will call you, may sound more certain. With intentar, the focus remains on making the attempt, not guaranteeing the result. This modest nuance is one reason it is useful in polite, realistic communication.
When speaking, you can pair the form with words that make a plan clearer, such as mañana, esta semana, or cuando sea posible. You can also use it after si, as in si podemos, intentaremos hacerlo, meaning if we can, we will try to do it. These combinations are common because real plans often depend on time, ability, or other conditions. The verb lets you express willingness while leaving those details open.
Conclusion
Intentaremos means we will try or we will attempt. It is the simple future form of intentar, made by keeping the infinitive and adding the nosotros or nosotras ending -emos. It commonly appears before another infinitive, as in intentaremos estudiar, and it describes an intention or effort rather than a guaranteed result. That meaning makes it useful for talking about plans, shared goals, and possible actions in both casual and professional situations.
Remember the pronunciation in-ten-ta-RE-mos, with stress on re and no written accent mark. Also keep in mind the difference between intentar, which focuses on making an effort, and probar, which often means to sample or test something. With these points in mind, you can recognize the form in conversation and use it in your own sentences. Practice by describing a few realistic plans for the next day or week. The more often you connect the ending, meaning, and pronunciation, the more naturally this useful Spanish future form will come to mind.
