How to say try in Spanish?
If you’re learning Spanish, one of the most common things you’ll need to know is how to say “try” in Spanish. Fortunately, it’s a simple word to translate, and there are a few different ways to express the concept of “trying” in Spanish depending on the context.
The most common way to say “try” in Spanish is with the verb “intentar”. This is a regular -ar verb, which means it follows a predictable conjugation pattern. Here’s how to conjugate “intentar” in the present tense:
- Yo intento (I try)
- Tú intentas (you try, informal singular)
- Él/ella/usted intenta (he/she/you try, formal singular)
- Nosotros/nosotras intentamos (we try)
- Vosotros/vosotras intentáis (you all try, informal plural, used mainly in Spain)
- Ellos/ellas/ustedes intentan (they/you all try, formal or informal plural)
You can use “intentar” in a variety of contexts. For example:
- Intentar hacer algo (to try to do something): Quiero intentar hacer una tarta de manzana este fin de semana. (I want to try to make an apple pie this weekend.)
- Intentar algo (to try something): Voy a intentar el bistec con salsa de vino tinto. (I’m going to try the steak with red wine sauce.)
- Intentar algo de alguien (to try something from someone): Me encantaría intentar un plato típico de México. (I would love to try a typical dish from Mexico.)
Another way to express the idea of “trying” in Spanish is with the verb “probar”. This verb means “to taste” or “to sample”, but it can also be used to mean “to try” in the sense of testing or experimenting with something. Here’s how to conjugate “probar” in the present tense:
- Yo pruebo (I try/taste)
- Tú pruebas (you try/taste, informal singular)
- Él/ella/usted prueba (he/she/you try/taste, formal singular)
- Nosotros/nosotras probamos (we try/taste)
- Vosotros/vosotras probáis (you all try/taste, informal plural, used mainly in Spain)
- Ellos/ellas/ustedes prueban (they/you all try/taste, formal or informal plural)
You can use “probar” to talk about trying new foods, drinks, or flavors, as well as testing out new products or ideas. For example:
- Probar algo (to try something): Quiero probar ese nuevo restaurante que abrió en el centro. (I want to try that new restaurant that opened downtown.)
- Probar algo nuevo (to try something new): Decidí probar un estilo de yoga que nunca había hecho antes. (I decided to try a style of yoga that I’d never done before.)
- Probar suerte (to try one’s luck): No tengo mucha experiencia en juegos de azar, pero decidí probar suerte en la lotería. (I don’t have much experience with gambling, but I decided to try my luck with the lottery.)
A third way to express the idea of “trying” in Spanish is with the verb “ensayar”. This verb means “to rehearse” or “to practice”, but it can also be used to mean “to try out” or “to experiment with” something. Here’s how to conjugate “ensayar” in the present tense:
- Yo ensayo (I try/practice)
- Tú ensayas (you try/practice, informal singular)
- Él/ella/usted ensaya (he/she/you try/practice, formal singular)
- Nosotros/nosotras ensayamos (we try/practice)
- Vosotros/vosotras ensayáis (you all try/practice, informal plural, used mainly in Spain)
- Ellos/ellas/ustedes ensayan (they/you all try/practice, formal or informal plural)
While “ensayar” is not as commonly used to express the idea of “trying” as “intentar” or “probar”, it can be useful in certain contexts. For example:
Ensayar algo (to try out something): Voy a ensayar un nuevo peinado para la boda de mi amiga. (I’m going to try out a new hairstyle for my friend’s wedding.)
Ensayar una idea (to try out an idea): Siempre me gusta ensayar nuevas formas de enseñar gramática en mis clases de español. (I always like to try out new ways of teaching grammar in my Spanish classes.)
Ensayar una canción (to rehearse a song): Los músicos estuvieron ensayando toda la tarde para el concierto de esta noche. (The musicians were rehearsing all afternoon for tonight’s concert.)
In conclusion, knowing how to say “try” in Spanish can be very useful for communicating effectively in a variety of situations. Whether you use “intentar”, “probar”, or “ensayar”, you’ll be able to express the concept of “trying” with ease and precision. As with any new vocabulary or grammar point, the key is to practice using these verbs in context until they become second nature. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)
Sentences with the verb try in Spanish
| Vamos a probar otro color. | – | Let’s try another color. |
| Debes probar para saber si te gusta algo. | – | You must try to know if you like something. |
| ¿No quieres probar el helado? | – | Don’t you want to try the ice cream? |
| Tenemos muchas cosas nuevas que probar. | – | We have many new things to try. |
| Me voy a probar este vestido. | – | I’m going to try on this dress. |
| No pierdes nada con probar. | – | You have nothing to lose by trying. |
| Voy a probar un poco de caldo. | – | I’m going to try some broth. |
| Tienes que probar el yogurt. | – | You have to try the yogurt. |
| Debes probar antes de decir que no. | – | You should try before you say no. |
| No me apetece probar. | – | I don’t feel like trying. |
| ¿Quieres probar? | – | You want to try? |
| Voy a probar durante un tiempo, a ver cómo me va. | – | I’m going to try for a while, see how it goes. |
| No tengo cómo probar que digo la verdad. | – | I have no way to prove that I am telling the truth. |
| Para probar qué es cierto se necesitan evidencias. | – | Evidence is needed to prove that it is true. |
| ¿De veras no quieres probar cómo te quedan los zapatos? | – | You really don’t want to try how your shoes fit? |
| Voy a probar a cambiar el color de mi cabello. | – | I’m going to try to change the color of my hair. |
| Debes probar la comida del niño antes de dársela. | – | You must taste the child’s food before giving it to him. |
| Me adapté a probar todo lo que le doy a mi pequeño. | – | I adapted to try everything I give my little one. |
| ¿Quieres probar un cambio de estilo? | – | Do you want to try a change of style? |
| Voy a probar mi suerte. | – | I’m going to try my luck. |
| Llegó la hora de probar algo nuevo. | – | It’s time to try something new. |
| Quiero probar si lo nuestro funciona. | – | I want to test if ours works. |
| Te voy a probar que lo que siento por ti es real. | – | I’m going to prove to you that what I feel for you is real. |
| Ven a probar el dulce que hice. | – | Come try the candy I made. |
| Has de probar este enchilado, está buenísimo. | – | You have to try this enchilado, it’s great. |
| ¿No vas a probar el pollo? | – | Aren’t you going to try the chicken? |
| No suelo probar la comida. | – | I don’t usually taste food. |
| Vamos a probar con las muestras y si nos gusta compramos el queso. | – | We are going to try the samples and if we like it, we will buy the cheese. |
| Probar las cosas antes de la cena me quita el apetito. | – | Tasting things before dinner kills my appetite. |
| Fui a probar que funcionara la radio y descubrí que no. | – | I went to try to get the radio to work and found out it didn’t. |
