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pendiente

pen-DYEN-tehpenˈdjen.te

pending, outstanding

Also: unfinished, unresolved
A small, tightly sealed wooden box resting on a clean, empty surface, tied with a simple red ribbon, symbolizing a task waiting to be dealt with.

📝 In Action

Tengo muchos correos pendientes que responder.

A2

I have many pending emails to answer.

Esa deuda sigue pendiente después de un mes.

B1

That debt is still outstanding after a month.

Dejamos la conversación pendiente para mañana.

B2

We left the conversation unfinished for tomorrow.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • inacabado (unfinished)
  • por hacer (to be done)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • asuntos pendientes – pending matters/unfinished business

earring

Also: ear stud
NounmA1
Mexico, Central America
A single, shiny gold hoop earring with a small dangling blue gemstone hanging from it, set against a soft background.

📝 In Action

Compré un par de pendientes de plata.

A1

I bought a pair of silver earrings.

Mi hija solo tiene un pendiente en una oreja.

A2

My daughter only has one earring in one ear.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • aretes (earrings (common in Latin America))

Common Collocations

  • pendiente de aro – hoop earring

slope

Also: hillside
NounfB1neutral/technical
A cross-section view of a very steep, grassy green hill, clearly illustrating a strong upward incline.

📝 In Action

Tuvimos que subir una pendiente muy pronunciada.

B1

We had to climb a very steep slope.

La casa está construida en la pendiente de la colina.

B2

The house is built on the hillside.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cuesta (hill/slope)
  • inclinación (inclination)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • pendiente resbaladiza – slippery slope

attentive, aware

Also: watching over
Adjectivem/fB1neutral/informal
A young child sitting on the floor, leaning forward slightly with a look of intense concentration and wide, focused eyes, demonstrating attentiveness.

📝 In Action

Estoy pendiente de que me llamen del banco.

B1

I am waiting for/keeping an eye out for the bank to call me.

Ella siempre está pendiente de sus hermanos menores.

B2

She is always looking after her younger siblings.

El camarero está muy pendiente de las mesas.

B2

The waiter is very attentive to the tables.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • desatento (inattentive)

Common Collocations

  • estar pendiente de – to be aware of/to be waiting for

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pendiente

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'pendiente' to mean 'earring'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pendenciero(quarrelsome/troublemaker) — Adjective
depender(to depend) — Verb
pendiente(small wall hook) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the Latin verb *pendēre*, meaning 'to hang' or 'to be suspended'. This origin perfectly explains all its meanings: a slope is ground that 'hangs down'; an earring 'hangs' from the ear; and a pending task is 'hanging' over your head, waiting to be resolved.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: pendingPortuguese: pendente

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'pendiente' means 'earring' (masculine) or 'slope' (feminine)?

You can tell by the article used before it: 'el pendiente' (masculine) is the earring, and 'la pendiente' (feminine) is the slope. The context of the sentence will also make it clear.

Does 'pendiente' change its ending when used as an adjective?

No. When 'pendiente' is used as an adjective (meaning 'pending' or 'attentive'), it always keeps the '-e' ending, regardless of whether the noun it describes is masculine or feminine, singular or plural (e.g., 'el trabajo pendiente', 'las tareas pendientes').