Spanish Conversation · Level 33
75 words
Spanish word
voluntad
Pronunciation
IPA/bolunˈtað/
Meaning
- feminine nounwill
Example
Tengo la voluntad de aprender español.
I have the will to learn Spanish.
More examples
No tuvo voluntad suficiente para acabarlo.
He didn't have enough will to finish it.
Core concept
Inner force that moves a person to pursue a goal.
Common phrases
falta de voluntad
lack of will
de buena voluntad
of good will
Similar words
deseo: Wish or longing to do or have something, a felt want without a firm plan.
intención: Mental orientation toward doing something, an aim or plan to act soon.
determinación: Strong resolve to keep going and achieve a goal despite obstacles.
decisión: Act of choosing one option among several; the moment of making a choice.
Definition in Spanish
Fuerza interior que impulsa a alguien a querer lograr algo; intención o preferencia consciente.
Word origin
From Latin voluntas 'will, wish', from velle 'to wish', originally naming a wish that motivates action and now used for conscious intention or resolve.
Usage tips
- Spanish often uses querer for ordinary wants, while voluntad signals deliberate determination or a conscious preference, seen in phrases like tener la voluntad de... and por voluntad propia.
Other meanings
- intentionnoun
- inclinationnoun
- wishnoun
- goodwillnoun
Opposites
- obligaciónobligationnoun
- imposiciónimpositionnoun
Related words
- voluntariovoluntaryadjective
- voluntariadovolunteeringnoun