buen intento
/bwen intento/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "good try" is translated as buen intento.
The phrase buen intento is used to acknowledge that someone made an effort to achieve something, even though they did not succeed. You can also use Gran esfuerzo to acknowledge someone's determination, or ¡Excelente esfuerzo! to mean "excellent effort".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the adjective buen (good) and the noun intento (attempt or try).
Which one should you use?
While buen intento is a standard way to say "good try", you can use Muy buen intento to say "very good attempt", which adds a touch of admiration to the statement.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, if you want to encourage someone's spirit rather than just the specific attempt, you might say ¡Ánimo! which translates more to 'cheer up' or 'keep going'.
- If you use the phrase buen intento sarcastically in Spain, it can be used to mock someone who has failed spectacularly, much like 'nice try' in English.
- The word intento shares an ancestor with the English word 'intent', meaning both words are rooted in the idea of stretching or directing one's mind toward a goal.
Examples in context
- ¡Buen intento! Sé que te esforzaste mucho, ¡excelente trabajo!Good try! I know you put in a lot of effort, excellent job!
- ¡Buen intento! Estoy seguro de que con práctica mejorarás aún más.Good try! I'm sure with practice, you'll improve even more.
- Fue un buen intento, pero no ganaste.It was a good try, but you didn't win.
- Buen intento con ese truco de magia.Good try with that magic trick.
- No te rindas, fue un buen intento.Don't give up, it was a good try.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are playing a video game together.
- Daniel¡Casi lo logras!You almost made it!
- ElenaQué mal, perdí otra vez.Too bad, I lost again.
- DanielNo te preocupes, fue un buen intento.Don't worry, it was a good try.
- ElenaGracias, Daniel, lo intentaré de nuevo.Thanks, Daniel, I will try again.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buen, intento, CC BY-SA 4.0.
