Introduction
intentaré is a useful Spanish word for talking about what you plan to do. It means I will try or I will attempt, so you can use it when you want to describe a future effort without promising that you will succeed. For example, you might use it when saying that you will try a new recipe, practice a language, or arrive earlier tomorrow. The word comes from the verb intentar, which means to try or attempt. Its ending shows who is doing the action and when: the speaker is talking about a future action. The written accent mark also gives an important clue about how to pronounce it. Learning this form can help you make plans, show a positive attitude, and speak about your goals in natural Spanish. In this guide, you will learn its meaning, pronunciation, common uses, and differences from similar words.
Meaning and Definition
intentaré means I will try or I will attempt. It is the first-person singular form of the verb intentar in the simple future tense. In other words, the speaker is saying that they plan to make an effort at some point in the future. The verb does not promise that the action will be successful. It focuses on the effort or intention.
For example, if you say intentaré aprender español, you mean I will try to learn Spanish. You are expressing a goal and a willingness to work toward it, but you are not claiming that you will definitely become fluent. This makes the word useful when you want to sound hopeful and determined while staying realistic.
The form is built from the infinitive intentar and the future ending -é. Spanish future endings are added to the complete infinitive, rather than to a shortened stem. The same pattern appears in forms such as hablaré, I will speak, and estudiaré, I will study. The ending -é identifies the speaker as yo, or I, and the accent mark shows where the strongest stress falls.
Spanish often leaves out the subject pronoun yo because the verb ending already tells the listener who is acting. As a result, intentaré can stand alone as a complete statement when the situation makes the subject clear. You can also say yo intentaré to add emphasis or contrast. For instance, if a group is deciding who will prepare a presentation, yo intentaré hacerlo means I will try to do it. The pronoun stresses that you, rather than someone else, will make the effort.
The verb intentar comes through Latin, from intentāre, a form related to intendere, which carried the idea of directing or stretching toward something. The modern Spanish meaning is straightforward: make an effort to do something. In everyday English, try is usually the simplest translation. Attempt can sound a little more formal or deliberate, but it is also a correct translation in many situations.
Context determines whether the word sounds like a plan, a promise, or a gentle response. If a friend asks whether you can finish a task, intentaré means that you will make an effort. It is positive, but less certain than I will do it. That difference is especially helpful when you want to avoid making a guarantee.
Usage and Example Sentences
Use intentaré when you are talking about an effort you expect to make later. It is commonly followed by an infinitive, such as estudiar, llamar, or cocinar. The second verb stays in its infinitive form because intentaré already carries the future meaning and identifies the speaker.
Spanish: intentaré aprender cinco palabras nuevas cada día.
English: I will try to learn five new words each day.
Spanish: Mañana intentaré llegar temprano a la biblioteca.
English: Tomorrow I will try to get to the library early.
Spanish: intentaré preparar una cena sencilla para mis amigos.
English: I will try to prepare a simple dinner for my friends.
Spanish: Si tengo tiempo, intentaré terminar el libro esta semana.
English: If I have time, I will try to finish the book this week.
Spanish: intentaré hablar más despacio durante la presentación.
English: I will try to speak more slowly during the presentation.
Spanish: No conozco bien esta aplicación, pero intentaré usarla.
English: I do not know this app well, but I will try to use it.
Spanish: intentaré recordar tu recomendación cuando visite la ciudad.
English: I will try to remember your recommendation when I visit the city.
Spanish: Este fin de semana intentaré practicar guitarra durante media hora.
English: This weekend I will try to practice guitar for half an hour.
These examples show that the word works with many kinds of goals: learning, arriving, preparing, speaking, and practicing. A time expression such as mañana or este fin de semana can make the future meaning clear, but it is not required. The verb ending already places the effort in the future.
When another person or thing is the object of the effort, Spanish may use a noun or pronoun after the verb. For instance, intentaré la actividad means I will try the activity. If you want to say that you will try to do something, use an infinitive: intentaré resolver el problema means I will try to solve the problem. The infinitive names the action you will attempt.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Word Usage Differences
A close synonym is trataré, from tratar. In a sentence such as trataré de estudiar, it means I will try to study. The structure is important: tratar is normally followed by de and then an infinitive when it means to try to do something. With intentar, the usual pattern is intentar followed directly by an infinitive. You can say intentaré estudiar, without adding de.
Probaré, from probar, can also mean I will try, but it often refers to testing, tasting, or experiencing something. For example, probaré la sopa means I will taste the soup, while intentaré cocinar la sopa means I will try to cook the soup. The words can overlap when someone is testing a method or activity, but they are not always interchangeable. Choose probar when the idea is to sample or test something, and intentar when the focus is making an effort to complete an action.
Procuraré is another related choice. It often means I will make an effort to or I will see to it that, and can sound more careful or formal than intentaré. For example, procuraré ser puntual means I will make an effort to be punctual. In everyday conversation, intentaré is usually a natural, flexible option. Procuraré may suggest a stronger intention to take care of the matter.
Haré means I will do or I will make. It is more definite than intentaré. If you say haré la tarea, you are saying that you will do the homework. If you say intentaré hacer la tarea, you are saying that you will try to do it. The second sentence leaves room for difficulty or uncertainty. This difference matters when making plans or answering a request.
There is no single direct antonym that fits every sentence. A practical opposite might be no lo intentaré, meaning I will not try it, or dejaré de intentarlo, meaning I will stop trying. If the contrast is about success rather than effort, lograré means I will achieve or manage to do something. For example, intentaré abrir la caja describes an effort, while lograré abrir la caja says that the speaker will succeed. Because intentaré does not state the result, it is not simply the opposite of lograré.
Learners sometimes mix up intentaré and intento. Intento can mean I try or I am trying in the present, depending on context, while intentaré clearly points to the future. Compare intento estudiar después del trabajo, I try to study after work, with intentaré estudiar después del trabajo, I will try to study after work. The accent and ending help distinguish the time.
Another useful distinction is between intentar and intentar de. In standard, widely used Spanish, the usual construction is intentar plus an infinitive, as in intentar aprender. Some speakers may use other patterns in particular regions or contexts, but learners can rely on the direct infinitive pattern. For the synonym tratar, by contrast, the common structure is tratar de plus an infinitive. Remembering these patterns will make your sentences sound more natural.
Pronunciation and Accent
The pronunciation of intentaré can be shown in IPA as /in.ten.taˈɾe/. A simple guide for English speakers is een-ten-tah-REH, with the strongest beat on the final syllable. The word has four syllables: in, ten, ta, and ré. Say the final syllable clearly, but do not stretch it excessively.
The symbol /ɾ/ represents the Spanish single r sound. It is a quick tap of the tongue against the ridge just behind the upper front teeth, similar to the light r in pero. It is not the long, rolled sound used for rr in perro. In intentaré, the r comes between vowels, so it is normally pronounced as a single tap.
The written accent over é marks the stressed syllable. Spanish spelling rules explain why it is needed. Words ending in a vowel, n, or s usually receive stress on the next-to-last syllable if they have no written accent. Without the accent, a form spelled intentare would be read with stress earlier, and it would not be the standard spelling for I will try. The accent tells the reader to stress the last syllable: in-ten-ta-RÉ.
Do not confuse this accent mark with a separate sound. The letter é is still the vowel e; the mark only shows stress. Also, avoid making the final vowel sound like the English name of the letter A. Spanish e is a clear, steady vowel, somewhat like the e in the English word get, though Spanish speakers generally pronounce it more consistently.
A common mistake is to put the stress on the second syllable, as if the word were in-TEN-ta-re. Another is to pronounce the r as a strong English r, which can make the word less clear. Listen for the four even syllables and the final rise in emphasis. Practicing slowly, then at normal speaking speed, can help you keep both the stress and the tap natural.
Native Speaker Nuance and Usage Context
In everyday conversation, intentaré often sounds encouraging and practical. A person might use it to accept a suggestion, respond to a request, or explain a plan. If someone recommends a local café, you could answer intentaré ir este sábado, meaning I will try to go this Saturday. The response shows interest, but does not guarantee that the visit will happen.
The word is common in both casual and formal Spanish. Friends may use it when talking about personal plans, while a coworker may use it when discussing a task. In a more formal setting, it can still be appropriate because it is neutral rather than slangy. A speaker who wants to sound more formal or careful might choose procuraré, but the choice depends on the situation and personal style.
Because it describes effort rather than certain success, intentaré can be a polite way to answer. If someone asks you to remember a detail, saying intentaré recordarlo shows cooperation without promising perfect memory. In a work or study setting, the same wording can communicate willingness while keeping expectations realistic. Tone matters: spoken warmly, it sounds open and helpful; said hesitantly, it may suggest that success is uncertain.
Spanish speakers also use the word with phrases that describe conditions or limits. For example, intentaré hacerlo cuando tenga un momento means I will try to do it when I have a moment. The future form describes the effort, while the following clause gives the situation in which the speaker hopes to make it. This lets you express a plan without making the sentence complicated.
You can add words such as de verdad, con cuidado, or otra vez to give more information: intentaré de verdad means I will really try; intentaré con cuidado means I will try carefully; and intentaré otra vez means I will try again. These additions do not change the basic tense. They simply explain the speaker’s attitude or the manner of the effort.
In conversation, the subject is often understood from the verb ending, so saying only intentaré may be enough as a short answer. A fuller response, such as sí, intentaré hacerlo, sounds more specific because hacerlo means to do it. Use yo when you want to emphasize yourself, perhaps to distinguish your plan from another person’s. Otherwise, leaving out the pronoun is natural and common.
Remember that the future tense in Spanish can express a definite plan, but intentaré softens the commitment because it centers on trying. If you need to make a firm promise, a form of hacer or another direct verb may be clearer. If you want to show that you are willing to make an effort, this word is an excellent choice. Matching the verb to your level of certainty helps your Spanish sound thoughtful and precise.
Conclusion
intentaré is the Spanish simple future form of intentar for yo, and its central meaning is I will try or I will attempt. Use it to talk about a future effort, especially when you want to express a goal without guaranteeing the result. It is commonly followed directly by an infinitive, as in intentaré estudiar, and the subject pronoun yo can be included for emphasis or left out when it is clear.
Keep its close alternatives in mind: trataré de often means I will try to, probaré often means I will test or sample, and haré makes a more definite statement about doing something. For pronunciation, divide the word into four syllables and stress the final ré. The accent mark is essential because it identifies that stress and distinguishes the correct future form. With practice, you can use intentaré to talk naturally about plans, learning goals, and everyday tasks. It is a small but valuable word for making your Spanish more flexible, polite, and clear.
