"Intentar," "Tratar De," and "Probar"

Quick Answer

Intentar, tratar de, and probarare three of the most commonly used, but commonly confused, ways to say to try in Spanish. Let's learn a bit more about each one!

Intentar / Tratar De

Use intentar to indicate that someone is trying or attempting to do something. You can also use the verb phrase tratar de followed by an infinitive.

For example:

examples
Si te equivocas la primera vez, tienes que volver a intentarlo. If you do it wrong the first time, you have to try it again.
Estoy tratando de dormir. I’m trying to sleep.

Probar

Probar is used for trying food. Use probarsefor trying on clothing.

For example:

examples
¿Alguna vez has probado el gazpacho? Have you ever tried gazpacho?
Quiero probarme ese vestido. I want to try on that dress.

Ready to learn more about other tricky words in Spanish? Check out these articles!

• Tricky Verbs

• "Hablar" vs. "Decir" vs. "Contar"

• “Ver” vs. “Mirar” in Spanish

• “Mover,” “Mudarse,” and “Trasladar”

• "Tiempo," "Vez," "Hora," and "Rato"

• "Convertirse," "Hacerse," "Volverse," and "Ponerse"

• “Faltar,” “Fallar,” and “Extrañar”

• "Jugar" vs. "Tocar" in Spanish

• “Trabajar” vs. “Funcionar" in Spanish

• “Llevar” vs. “Traer” in Spanish

• "Pedir" vs. "Preguntar" in Spanish

• “Saber” vs. “Conocer”