Intent or intent? Discover the difference and when to use

You have intention or intention to get a new job? After all, what is the correct way to write the verb that shows that you plan to carry out a certain activity in the future? Don't worry, you are not alone with this question. With the change of just one letter, the error when writing this noun is very common.

The reality is that both words exist in the Portuguese language. the expressions intention or intention are defined as homophone words: they sound the same but with different spellings.

We can also see this definition in cases like session/section and sense/census. Therefore, we came to show their differences and in which situations they should be used.

See too: Story or story.

How to spell: Intention or intention

Intention

This is the correct way to say that you plan to take a certain action. It is a plan, desire or aspiration. It originates from the Latin word intentio, with a common shift between Latin and Portuguese from the ending -tio to the ending. This example can also be seen in the word containment, which came from the Latin expression contentment.

Intention is a feminine noun and is an expression widely used by Portuguese speakers. Therefore, despite the same pronunciation of the word intention, its meaning is usually the most used in daily speech.

Some of the main synonyms for intention are: idea, plan, objective, thought, project, and purpose.

Check out the examples of the use of the word intention:

• I intend to change country.
• I never intended to hurt her.
• My intention is to look for a better job.

Intent

Originating from Latin intentionis, this word has a completely different meaning from the spelling quoted above. The feminine noun “intent” means the act of increasing tension or making something more intense. Intensity and strength, for example, are two of its synonyms.

Despite not being a very used word in spoken form, its use is completely correct. Still, the word intention has a meaning within phonetics, indicating the first stage of articulation of a consonant.

See examples of the use of the word intention:

• The meteorologist predicts an intensity of cold during the next days.
• She went to a doctor because she felt an intensity of pain.
• The nurse checked the intensity of the patient's fever.

We also recommend:

• Exception or exception.
• Company or company?

Intent or Intent – ​​What's the difference and when to use it?

You still have doubts when using the "Intention or intention”? Check out the following video: