The Present Tense of Intentar is used to express actions that you are trying or attempting to do in the present moment. For example, Intento aprender español. (I am trying to learn Spanish.)

Intentar is a regular -ar verb, which means its conjugations follow the typical pattern for verbs ending in -ar in the present tense.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Intentar (to try) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

Intentar generally means to try or attempt something, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To try or attempt: For example, Intento aprender español. (I try to learn Spanish.)

To aim or strive: For example, Intento ser una mejor persona. (I aim to be a better person.)

To make an effort: For example, Intento estudiar más. (I make an effort to study more.)

To attempt (with negative connotation): For example, ¿Intentas engañarme? (Are you trying to deceive me?)

To try (in a sexual sense, colloquial): For example, Intento ligar con ella. (I’m trying to hit on her.)

Examples

Examples of Intentar in the Present Tense

Siempre intento llegar temprano a mis citas. (I always try to arrive early for my appointments.)

Mi hermana intenta comer saludable la mayoría de los días. (My sister tries to eat healthy most days.)

¿Intentas aprender un nuevo idioma este año? (Are you trying to learn a new language this year?)

En la oficina, intentamos ser lo más productivos posible. (At the office, we try to be as productive as possible.)

Mis amigos intentan hacer ejercicio juntos los fines de semana. (My friends try to exercise together on the weekends.)

Cuando viajo, intento probar la comida local. (When I travel, I try to try the local food.)

¿Intentáis salir más a menudo este verano? (Are you trying to go out more often this summer?)

Los jóvenes intentan estar al día con las últimas tendencias. (Young people try to keep up with the latest trends.)

Para mejorar mi español, intento practicar todos los días. (To improve my Spanish, I try to practice every day.)

En la clase de cocina, intentamos preparar platos nuevos cada semana. (In the cooking class, we try to prepare new dishes every week.)

Mis padres intentan ahorrar para su jubilación. (My parents are trying to save for their retirement.)

Cuando hay un problema, intentan resolverlo de manera pacífica. (When there’s a problem, they try to resolve it peacefully.)

Para mantenerse en forma, intento hacer ejercicio con regularidad. (To stay in shape, I try to exercise regularly.)

En las reuniones, intentamos ser claros y concisos. (In meetings, we try to be clear and concise.)

Mis compañeros de trabajo intentan terminar los proyectos a tiempo. (My coworkers try to finish projects on time.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Intentar (to try) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.