Spanish word

adivinar

Pronunciation

IPA/aðiβiˈnaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbguess

Example

No puedo adivinar lo que piensas.

I can't guess what you're thinking.

Illustration for adivinar (guess)

More examples

Intenté adivinar la respuesta durante el examen.

I tried to guess the answer during the exam.

Core concept

Someone deducing a hidden answer from a few small clues.

Common phrases

  • adivinar la respuesta

    guess the answer

  • adivinar el número

    guess the number

  • adivinar el significado

    guess the meaning

Similar words

suponer: Assumes something tentatively when evidence is insufficient.
imaginar: Imagines or pictures something in the mind that does not exist now.
intuir: Senses a truth or situation as a hunch without clear evidence.
predecir: Predicts future events or outcomes from available information or past patterns.

Definition in Spanish

Acertar o descubrir algo oculto mediante conjeturas, intuición o pequeñas señales cuando no se dispone de información completa.

Word origin

It derives from Latin divinare 'to prophesy' with the prefix ad-, and its sense moves from sacred divination to ordinary guessing or finding a correct answer from hints.

Usage tips

  • Adivina qué... is a common conversational opener to introduce a surprise, and adivinar often implies reaching the correct answer from clues rather than mere imagination.

Other meanings

  • guess correctlyverb
  • predictverb

Opposites

Related words

  • adivinanzariddlenoun
  • adivinadorfortune-tellernoun

Word lists with this word