adivina
/adiˈbina/
The English phrase "take a guess" is translated into Spanish as adivina.
This phrase is used as an invitation for someone to try to give a correct answer without knowing it for certain. You might also encounter the colloquial expression A ver si adivinas, which means "Let's see if you can guess" and is often used to challenge someone. For a more informal invitation, you can ask ¿Te animas a adivinar?, which translates to "Do you dare to guess?"
Which one should you use?
While adivina is grammatically the command form of the verb meaning "guess!", it is frequently used as a standalone phrase equivalent to the English "take a guess."
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the command depends on who you are addressing: use adivina for an informal singular subject, adivine for a formal singular subject and adivinen when asking a group of people to take a guess.
How do you pronounce it?
/adiˈbina/
Did you know?
- The word adivinar shares the same root as adivino, which means 'fortune teller'. While 'take a guess' is common in English, the Spanish word carries a subtle historical link to prophecy and divination.
- The expression adivina quién es is a popular way to introduce a prank call or a surprise visit in Spain, functioning much like the English 'guess who'.
- The phrase no adivino can be used colloquially to say that you cannot figure out someone's hidden motives or secret intentions.
Examples in context
- Adivina cuál es la respuesta correcta.Take a guess at what the correct answer is.
- Sugiero que adivines lo que hay dentro de esta caja.I suggest you take a guess at what's inside this box.
- A ver si adivinas cuál es mi canción favorita.Let's see if you can guess what my favorite song is.
- ¿Te animas a adivinar cuántos caramelos hay en el frasco?Do you dare to guess how many candies are in the jar?
- ¡Lánzate a adivinar cuál es el platillo típico de esta región!Go ahead and take a guess at what the typical dish of this region is!
- ¿Puedes adivinar qué idioma estoy aprendiendo?Can you guess what language I'm learning?
- Haz una suposición sobre cuál es el ingrediente secreto en esta receta.Make a guess about what the secret ingredient is in this recipe.
- A ver si logras adivinar el nombre de esta famosa pintura.Let's see if you can guess the name of this famous painting.
- ¡Adivina qué me regaló mi hermano!Take a guess what my brother gave me as a gift!
- No lo sé, pero adivina cuánto cuesta.I don't know, but take a guess how much it costs.
- Adivina quién llamó por teléfono hace un rato.Take a guess who called on the phone a little while ago.
Example conversation
Mateo and María are talking about a surprise gift.
- MateoTengo un regalo para ti, María.I have a gift for you, María.
- María¿Qué es? ¡Dime ya!What is it? Tell me now!
- MateoNo, mejor adivina.No, better yet, take a guess.
- MaríaCreo que es un collar.I think it is a necklace.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry adivina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
