olfato
nounCEFR B2
What does “olfato” mean in English?
1.the physical sense used to detect odours, one of the five senses
2.an intuitive ability to notice or anticipate something, especially an opportunity or danger
Example sentences
Los perros tienen un olfato mucho más desarrollado que el de los seres humanos.
Dogs have a sense of smell far more developed than that of humans.
Su olfato para detectar tendencias de mercado le ha permitido invertir con mucho éxito.
His nose for spotting market trends has allowed him to invest very successfully.
How to use it
El olfato (noun, masculine) is literally the sense of 'smell'. Figuratively, at B2, it commonly means a sharp instinct or nose for something: tener buen olfato para los negocios (to have a good nose for business). The related verb is oler (to smell).
Common mistake
Tener olfato (para algo) is a figurative idiom meaning 'to have a good instinct/nose (for something)' — it does not literally describe a physical trait in this use, unlike buen olfato in the literal biological sense.
Topics
Related B2 words
Reference
This entry’s teaching guidance follows Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes (Instituto Cervantes), B2 Nociones específicas: cuerpo y salud.