Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Mi intento es aprender español cada día. - My attempt is to learn Spanish every day.

Intento means “attempt” or “effort.” In this sentence, it’s used as a noun to describe a personal goal or effort. Note that Spanish distinguishes between intento (noun) and intentar (verb “to try”), so when you say “Mi intento es…”, you’re stating your aim rather than describing the act of trying.

Why is aprender in the infinitive form instead of being conjugated?

In Spanish, when you have a structure with a linking verb like es (is), the complement that explains the subject’s purpose is often in its infinitive form. Here, aprender (to learn) remains un-conjugated because it serves as the idea or goal that follows the subject “Mi intento.” This parallels the English construction “My attempt is to learn…” where the verb after “is” is in its base form.

Why does the sentence use the present tense form es even though the goal seems continuous?

The present tense es is used to express a current state or intention. Although the action of learning Spanish is intended to occur every day, the sentence simply states the ongoing goal or purpose. The present tense effectively communicates that this is the speaker’s current and general intention.

What does cada día mean, and are there any alternative ways to say “every day” in Spanish?

Cada día translates to “every day” and is an adverbial phrase indicating frequency. An alternative commonly used in Spanish is todos los días. Both mean essentially the same thing, though cada día tends to emphasize the individuality of each day.

Is the structure “Mi intento es [infinitive phrase]” common in Spanish, and how does it compare to the English structure?

Yes, the structure “Mi intento es [infinitive phrase]” is a common way in Spanish to express one’s goal or aim. It is directly comparable to the English formulation “My attempt is to [verb].” One key difference is that Spanish uses the bare infinitive (aprender) without the extra “to” seen in English.