intención
nounCEFR B2
What does “intención” mean in English?
intention, intent — the aim or plan behind an action
intention, intent — the aim or plan behind an action (buenas intenciones; con la intención de)
Example sentences
Sus intenciones eran buenas, pero la ejecución del proyecto dejó mucho que desear.
His intentions were good, but the execution of the project left much to be desired.
Con la intención de reducir costes, la empresa decidió externalizar el servicio de atención al cliente.
With the intention of reducing costs, the company decided to outsource its customer service.
Hay que leer entre líneas: tiene segunda intención en todo lo que propone.
You have to read between the lines — there's an ulterior motive in everything he proposes.
How to use it
La intención (noun, feminine) means 'intention' or 'intent' — the purpose behind an action. Key collocations: con la intención de + infinitive; tener la intención de; buenas/malas intenciones; intención declarada; segunda intención (ulterior motive). Distinguish from propósito (purpose — more formal) and objetivo (objective — what you aim to achieve, more concrete). The phrase tener segunda intención means 'to have an ulterior motive'.
Common mistake
With the construction con la intención de, the infinitive always follows — not a subjunctive. Buenas intenciones (good intentions) is almost always plural. Do not confuse intención (mental purpose) with propósito (formal purpose/resolution) or objetivo (tangible goal). Tener segunda intención is a fixed idiomatic expression.