Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mentir | /menˈtiɾ/ | |
| embustear | /embusteˈaɾ/ | |
| embustir | /embusˈtiɾ/ | |
| bolacear | /bolaθeaɾ/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /bolaseaɾ/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
Argentina |
| piliar | /piljaɾ/ (from spelling rules) | El Salvador |
The verb mentir is used when someone tells an intentional untruth. You can also use the related nouns mentira, embuste and cáshpira to refer to an intentionally false statement.
Which one should you use?
While mentir is the standard verb, you may encounter embustear or embustir to express the same idea. In certain regions, specific slang terms like bolacear or piliar are used instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, you can use the slang term bolacear to mean lying or telling tall tales and the noun chamullo refers to a lie. In El Salvador, the term piliar is used. In Latin America, specifically in Mexico and Central America, the phrase echar mentiras or echar mentira is common for the act of lying. In the Caribbean, particularly in Cuba and Puerto Rico, embuste is used to refer to a lie.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb mentir is irregular in many tenses. For example, the present indicative for 'I lie' is miento. The noun for a lie is mentira, which is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/menˈtiɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use mentir with a direct object for the person being lied to. Instead, you should typically use an indirect object pronoun, such as le miento for 'I lie to him/her'.
Did you know?
- The Argentine slang bolacear is derived from bola, which in this context refers to a 'big lie' or a 'hoax' rather than a physical ball.
- While mentira is the standard word for 'lie', some regions use cuento (literally 'story') to describe a lie that is an elaborate fabrication.
- In Argentina, the word chamullo is not just a lie, but refers to the art of using persuasive, smooth talking to deceive or seduce someone.
Examples in context
- Nunca le oí mentir.I never heard him lie.This sentence is useful for describing a past observation of someone lying using mentir.Tatoeba #1273991 by Shishir, translation #457298 by sacredceltic
- No te puedo mentir.I can't lie to you.This sentence is useful for expressing an inability to lie to someone using mentir.Tatoeba #2181262 by Shishir, translation #17520 by CK
- No tenés que mentir.You don't have to lie.This sentence is useful for telling someone they should not lie using mentir.Tatoeba #2288280 by hayastan, translation #2283653 by CK
- Él mienteHe lies
- Ella dice falsedadesShe tells lies
- No dijiste la verdadYou didn't tell the truth
- Eso es una mentiraThat's a lie
- Eso es una patrañaThat's a fib
- No inventes historiasDon't make up stories
- No le hagas caso, él es un embusteroDon't pay attention to him, he is a liar
- 195 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía catches Mateo in a mistake.
- SofíaMateo, ¿por qué quieres mentir sobre esto?Mateo, why do you want to lie about this?
- MateoNo quiero mentir, solo estoy confundido.I don't want to lie, I'm just confused.
- SofíaEs mejor decir la verdad ahora mismo.It is better to tell the truth right now.
- MateoTienes razón, Sofía. Lo siento mucho.You are right, Sofía. I am very sorry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lie” translations and entries mentir, embustear, embustir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
