Cool MateHe's very smart vs Intelligent
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
He's very smart
Top 1,000 (very common)
Intelligent
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
| He's very smart | Intelligent | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //hiːz ˈvɛri smɑːt//🇺🇸 //hiz ˈvɛri smɑrt// | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/"]/ |
| Meaning | He is very intelligent. | Smart or able to think well. |
| Example | He's very smart and always knows the right answer in class. | The intelligent student quickly solved the math problem. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | very smart student, very smart decision, very smart choice | be, look, seem, extremely, fairly, very |
| Antonyms | - | unintelligent, stupid, dull |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'smart' meaning well-dressed., Using 'smart' incorrectly as a verb., Misplacing the word 'very' in informal speech. | Confused with 'intellect' which refers more to reasoning ability., Mistakenly using as a noun instead of an adjective (e.g., 'an intelligent' instead of 'an intelligent person'). |
| Usage notes | This phrase is often used to compliment someone's intelligence. It is suitable in both formal and informal contexts. | Use 'intelligent' to describe someone who has a high ability to learn or understand. It’s generally positive and can apply in both formal and informal contexts. Avoid using it sarcastically. |
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Frequently asked questions: He's very smart vs Intelligent
What's the difference between He's very smart and Intelligent?
He's very smart: He is very intelligent. Intelligent: Smart or able to think well.
Can you show an example of each?
He's very smart: He's very smart and always knows the right answer in class. Intelligent: The intelligent student quickly solved the math problem.
Can I use He's very smart and Intelligent interchangeably?
Not always. He's very smart and Intelligent are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.