Spanish word

involuntario

Pronunciation

IPA/imbolunˈtaɾjo/

Meaning

  • adjectiveunintentional

Example

Fue una acción involuntaria.

It was an unintentional action.

Illustration for involuntario (unintentional)

More examples

El paciente tuvo un movimiento involuntario.

The patient had an involuntary movement.

Core concept

A reflex muscle twitch.

Common phrases

  • movimiento involuntario

    involuntary movement

  • sonrisa involuntaria

    involuntary smile

  • reacción involuntaria

    involuntary reaction

Similar words

inintencional: Result produced without intent or deliberate planning.
accidental: Event or mistake that happens unexpectedly, usually by chance.
inconsciente: Action performed without conscious awareness.
espontáneo: Natural, unplanned action or expression that emerges without forethought.

Definition in Spanish

Describe acciones, movimientos o reacciones que ocurren sin intención o voluntad consciente de la persona.

Word origin

From Latin involuntarius, from in- 'not' + voluntarius 'of the will', originally meaning 'not done by will'.

Usage tips

  • In casual conversation Spanish speakers usually say sin querer or sin intención for 'by accident', while involuntario appears more in formal or medical contexts such as movimientos involuntarios.

Other meanings

  • involuntaryadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • involuntariamenteunintentionallyadverb
  • involuntariedadinvoluntarinessnoun

Word lists with this word