idea
/iˈdea/
The Spanish word for idea is idea.
idea refers to any result of mental activity. A thought, a notion. A way of thinking.
Meaning: any result of mental activity, a thought, a notion, a way of thinking (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the colloquial expression Date cuenta is used to convey the idea of 'get an idea' or 'catch on'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun idea is feminine, so it uses the feminine indefinite article una to say una idea (an idea). The plural form of idea is ideas. The phrase no tener ni idea is a common way to emphasize that one has absolutely no clue about something.
How do you pronounce it?
/iˈdea/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb ser (to be) instead of tener (to have) when saying 'I have an idea' in Spanish.
Did you know?
- The word idea is an ancient relative of the English word 'ideal'. Both originate from the Greek root for 'to see', treating a mental concept as something one 'sees' with the mind's eye.
- Spanish uses the verb dar (to give) in the phrase dar una idea, which can mean both to provide a suggestion and to give someone a general impression of something.
- In Spanish, the word idea can describe a specific plan or a mischief, such as when someone says tengo una idea with a mischievous look to suggest a prank.
Examples in context
- Es idea de Tom.It's Tom's idea.This example shows how to attribute an idea to someone.Tatoeba #2625291 by Shishir, translation #2235831 by CK
- Yo no tuve idea.I had no idea.This example illustrates how to express that you had no idea.Tatoeba #4592966 by Francisco_M, translation #2331695 by CK
- Es una gran idea.That's a great idea.This example shows how to describe a great idea.Tatoeba #530660 by Shishir, translation #42740 by CK
- Tengo un concepto interesante para el proyectoI have an interesting idea for the project
- Voy a presentar mi propuesta de negocioI am going to present my business idea
- El planteamiento de la conferencia es bastante interesanteThe idea behind the conference is quite interesting
- No tengo ni idea de qué película veremos esta nocheI have no idea which movie we will watch tonight
- Vamos a hacer brainstorming para encontrar soluciones creativasLet's do some brainstorming to find creative solutions
- se me ocurrió una ideaI came up with an idea
- una idea brillanteA brilliant idea
- una idea innovadoraAn innovative idea
- una idea sorprendenteAn astonishing idea
- 658 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are discussing what to do for dinner.
- MaríaTengo una idea para la cena.I have an idea for dinner.
- Daniel¿Cuál es tu idea, María?What is your idea, María?
- MaríaPodemos comer pizza.We can eat pizza.
- DanielEs una buena idea.It is a good idea.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry idea, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries idea, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
