inventar
verbCEFR B2
What does “inventar” mean in English?
to invent, to create
to invent, to create (inventar algo nuevo — produce or design something that has not existed before)
Example sentences
Alexander Fleming no inventó la penicilina de forma deliberada, sino que la descubrió gracias a una contaminación accidental.
Alexander Fleming did not deliberately invent penicillin, but rather discovered it through accidental contamination.
No te inventes excusas: si no puedes venir a la reunión, dilo directamente sin rodeos.
Don't make up excuses: if you can't come to the meeting, say so directly without beating around the bush.
La empresa inventó un sistema de distribución completamente nuevo que redujo los costes logísticos en un treinta por ciento.
The company invented an entirely new distribution system that reduced logistics costs by thirty percent.
How to use it
Inventar means 'to invent' (create something new) or 'to make up/fabricate' (inventar una excusa — make up an excuse). At B2, both senses are important. Sense 1: inventar un artefacto/proceso (invent a device/process). Sense 2: inventar una historia/excusa (make up a story/excuse — fabricate). The reflexive inventarse algo is colloquial for making something up: 'se lo inventó todo' (he made the whole thing up). Don't confuse with descubrir (discover — find something existing) or crear (create — bring into existence, broader).
Common mistake
Inventar (create something new OR make up/fabricate) vs. descubrir (discover — find something already existing). Columbus discovered America (not invented it); Edison invented the light bulb (not discovered it). In everyday speech, 'inventarse algo' (reflexive) = make something up — very common colloquial use.