Spanish Conversation · Level 46
75 words
Spanish word
mentira
Pronunciation
IPA/menˈtiɾa/
Meaning
- feminine nounlie
Example
No digas mentiras.
Don't tell lies.
More examples
Nunca creas una mentira sin pruebas.
Never believe a lie without evidence.
Core concept
A falsehood or exaggerated tale presented as truth.
Common phrases
contar una mentira
tell a lie
creer una mentira
believe a lie
una mentira evidente
an evident lie
Similar words
engaño: Deliberate act of deceiving someone by giving false information to mislead.
falsedad: A false statement or claim indicating that something is not true.
trola: A casual, colloquial lie spoken as an offhand or joking remark.
invención: A made-up account or fabrication about events that did not happen.
Definition in Spanish
Relato falso o invención presentada como verdad, usada tanto para engañar como para exagerar.
Word origin
Via Latin mentīrī and the verb mentir, the noun mentira developed to refer to a falsehood or invented tale offered as truth, covering both intentional deceit and rhetorical exaggeration.
Usage tips
- In everyday speech 'es mentira' labels something as a lie, while qualifiers such as 'puede ser mentira' soften the claim and 'mentira piadosa' marks a socially polite or harmless lie.
Other meanings
- fabricationnoun
- untruthnoun
- falsehoodnoun
Opposites
- verdadtruthnoun
- honestidadhonestynoun
Related words
- mentirosoliarnoun
- mentirosamentedeceptivelyadverb