Introduction
intentará is a useful Spanish verb form for talking about what someone will try to do. You may see it in a conversation about plans, a message about a goal, or a description of what a person expects to do next. It comes from the verb intentar, which means to try or attempt. Because it is in the simple future tense, it usually refers to an action that has not happened yet.
Learning this form also helps you recognize a common Spanish pattern. Many verbs use the same future ending with él, ella, and usted, so once you understand this one, you can apply the pattern to other verbs. The accent mark is important, too: it shows where to place the stress when you speak. In this guide, you will learn the basic meaning, see natural examples, compare related words, and practice the pronunciation of intentará.
Meaning and Definition
Intentará means will try or will attempt. It is the simple future form of intentar for él, ella, or usted. In English, the subject may be he, she, or you when you are speaking politely. The subject is often left out in Spanish when the surrounding conversation makes it clear.
For example, Mi hermana intentará aprender francés means My sister will try to learn French. The verb tells you that the attempt is expected to happen in the future. It does not promise that the person will succeed. The focus is on making an effort or trying to do something, not on the final result.
The verb intentar is usually followed directly by a noun or by an infinitive verb. An infinitive is the basic form that ends in -ar, -er, or -ir. In intentará descansar, the person will try to rest. In intentará una receta nueva, the person will try a new recipe. When the next word is another verb, Spanish does not normally add a preposition between intentar and that infinitive.
The form is built from the infinitive intentar and the future ending -á. Spanish keeps the full infinitive, then adds an ending that identifies the subject and tense. The future endings for regular verbs are the same for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs. For él, ella, and usted, the ending is -á. The written accent is part of the standard spelling, not an optional decoration.
In a sentence, the subject may appear before or after the verb, or it may be understood without being written. The sentence Intentará llegar temprano can mean He will try to arrive early, She will try to arrive early, or You will try to arrive early, depending on the context. If a speaker needs to make the subject clear, they can add a name or pronoun, such as Laura intentará llegar temprano.
The verb intentar comes through Spanish from Latin intentare, a verb connected with directing or stretching something toward a goal. Its modern meaning is straightforward: to make an effort to do something. Remember that intentará describes a future effort, while intentar by itself is the infinitive form that you might find in a dictionary.
Usage and Example Sentences
These examples show how intentará works with different subjects and activities. Notice that the second verb stays in its infinitive form when it follows the idea of trying.
Spanish: Marcos intentará terminar el proyecto antes del viernes.
English: Marcos will try to finish the project before Friday.
Spanish: Ella intentará preparar una cena sencilla para sus amigos.
English: She will try to prepare a simple dinner for her friends.
Spanish: El equipo intentará mejorar su presentación esta semana.
English: The team will try to improve its presentation this week.
Spanish: Usted intentará encontrar una solución práctica.
English: You will try to find a practical solution.
Spanish: Mi abuelo intentará usar la nueva aplicación en su tableta.
English: My grandfather will try to use the new app on his tablet.
Spanish: La estudiante intentará leer diez páginas cada noche.
English: The student will try to read ten pages each night.
Spanish: ¿Intentará Daniel llegar a tiempo a la reunión?
English: Will Daniel try to arrive on time for the meeting?
Spanish: Si tiene un momento, intentará llamar a su prima esta tarde.
English: If he has a moment, he will try to call his cousin this afternoon.
Spanish: La profesora intentará explicar la idea con otro ejemplo.
English: The teacher will try to explain the idea with another example.
Spanish: El café intentará ofrecer más opciones vegetarianas el próximo mes.
English: The café will try to offer more vegetarian options next month.
In the question example, the verb moves to the beginning of the sentence, but its form does not change. In the other examples, names and nouns make the subject clear. In everyday conversation, Spanish speakers can also leave the subject out and simply say Intentará hacerlo mañana, meaning He, she, or you will try to do it tomorrow. Context tells the listener who is meant.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Word Usage Differences
A close alternative is tratar de, which also means to try to do something. For instance, Tratará de estudiar por la mañana means He or she will try to study in the morning. The expression tratar de is followed by de and then an infinitive. By contrast, intentar normally connects directly to the infinitive: intentará estudiar. Both are natural, and the choice often depends on personal style or regional habit.
Procurar can also mean to try or make an effort, but it may sound a little more careful or purposeful in some contexts. Procurará llegar temprano means He or she will try to arrive early. It can suggest that the person will make a deliberate effort to meet an expectation. For a simple, everyday statement, intentar is a flexible choice.
Esforzarse means to make an effort or exert oneself. It emphasizes the effort more strongly than intentar does. Its future form is se esforzará, as in Se esforzará por mejorar, meaning He or she will work hard to improve. Notice the structure: esforzarse is a reflexive verb, so the small word se appears with this form. Learners should not substitute it automatically for intentar, because the emphasis and grammar are different.
Probar means to test, sample, or try something, especially when the idea is to experience or check it. Probará una bebida nueva means He or she will try a new drink. If the person is attempting a task, intentará suele be clearer: intentará resolver el ejercicio means He or she will try to solve the exercise. Probar can also mean to try out an idea, so context matters.
There is no single perfect antonym for intentará, because the word describes an attempt rather than a result. Depending on the sentence, a contrast might be no intentará, meaning will not try, or evitará, meaning will avoid. Logrará means will achieve or will manage to do something, and it focuses on success rather than an attempt. For example, intentará completar el dibujo means someone will try to finish the drawing, while logrará completarlo suggests that the person will succeed.
When choosing among these words, ask what you want to emphasize. Use intentar for a general attempt, tratar de for a similar idea with a different grammatical pattern, procurar for a careful effort, and probar when someone is testing or sampling something. Use lograr when the important point is success. These distinctions make your Spanish sound more exact without requiring complicated grammar.
Pronunciation and Accent
The usual pronunciation of intentará can be represented in IPA as /intenˈtaɾa/. It has four syllables: in-ten-ta-rá. Say the syllables smoothly, with the strongest stress on the final syllable, rá. The final a is open and clear, like the a sound in Spanish casa.
The written accent mark over the final á tells you that the stress falls on the last syllable. Without the mark, the usual Spanish stress rules would lead a reader to stress the next-to-last syllable in a word ending in a vowel. The accent therefore guides both spelling and pronunciation. Compare intentar, where the last syllable is stressed because the word ends in a consonant other than n or s, with intentará, whose accent mark makes the final stress unmistakable.
The Spanish r in the final syllable is a light tap, made by briefly touching the tongue near the ridge behind the upper front teeth. It is not the long, rolled sound used for rr. English speakers sometimes replace this tap with a strong English r, but a quick tongue tap sounds more natural. The first two vowels should also stay clear rather than turning into English-style vowel sounds.
A common mistake is to place stress on ten or ta instead of rá. Another is to leave out the accent mark when writing. Practice by saying the word in parts, in-ten-ta-rá, then repeat it at a natural speed. You can also say it in a short sentence, such as Ella intentará ayudar, while keeping the final syllable of the verb clear.
Native Speaker Nuance and Usage Context
In everyday Spanish, intentará is a normal, neutral way to talk about a future effort. It can describe a plan, a promise, a prediction, or a reasonable expectation. A person might say Intentará organizar sus apuntes, meaning that someone plans or is expected to try to organize their notes. The exact shade of meaning depends on the situation and the speaker’s tone.
The future form does not always sound like a firm promise. If someone says Lo intentará, the meaning is He or she will try it, but the sentence does not guarantee success. This makes the word useful when a speaker wants to express intention while staying realistic about the outcome. It can sound encouraging, cautious, or simply factual.
Spanish speakers also use the simple future to make predictions. For example, La tienda intentará atraer a más clientes means The shop will try to attract more customers. The statement points toward a future effort, but it may be based on what the speaker expects rather than on a confirmed schedule. In some situations, a speaker may choose ir a intentar, as in Va a intentar aprender a cocinar, to describe a more immediate or planned action. Both forms are common.
In formal settings, usted intentará is a respectful way to address one person. In casual settings, intentará can refer to he or she, or to usted, while tú intentará would be incorrect. The future form for tú is intentarás, with an s at the end. Keeping those forms separate helps avoid confusion: él intentará, ella intentará, usted intentará, but tú intentarás.
The word is also useful in polite instructions and explanations. A tutor might say, Usted intentará responder primero, meaning You will try to answer first. In a conversation among friends, a speaker may leave out the subject and say Intentará mañana, if everyone already knows who the person is. Spanish often relies on context, so repeating a pronoun is not always necessary.
For a more natural rhythm, connect the verb to the infinitive that follows it. In intentará explicar, the final vowel of the first word leads smoothly into the next verb. Do not add de after intentar in this construction. Say intentará aprender, not intentará de aprender. Remembering this small pattern will help your sentences sound more fluent and will make the phrase easier to recognize when listening.
Conclusion
Intentará is the simple future form of intentar for él, ella, and usted. Its main meaning is will try or will attempt, and it describes an effort that is expected in the future without promising success. It commonly comes directly before an infinitive, as in intentará estudiar, or before a noun, as in intentará una actividad nueva. Related expressions such as tratar de and procurar can express similar ideas, but their grammar or emphasis may differ.
When you pronounce the word, remember its four syllables and stress the final rá. The accent mark shows that stress and should always be included when writing the form. Pay attention to the subject, too: tú takes intentarás, while él, ella, and usted take intentará. Learning this form gives you a practical way to discuss plans, predictions, and future efforts. With a few examples and steady practice, you can recognize it in conversation and use it naturally in your own Spanish.
