pendientes
/pen-DYEN-tes/
earrings
Pendientes meaning earrings, jewelry worn on the ear.
📝 In Action
Perdí uno de mis pendientes favoritos en la fiesta.
A2I lost one of my favorite earrings at the party.
Ella siempre lleva pendientes de oro muy elegantes.
B1She always wears very elegant gold earrings.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Plural Noun
Even though jewelry is often associated with feminine things, 'pendientes' is a masculine plural noun in Spanish (los pendientes).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Regional Terms
Mistake: "Using 'pendientes' in Mexico or Central America, where 'aretes' is much more common."
Correction: Know your audience! Use 'pendientes' in Spain, and 'aretes' or 'zarcillos' elsewhere.
Pendientes meaning pending, referring to tasks or issues awaiting action.
pendientes(Adjective)
pending
?tasks or issues
,outstanding
?work or payments
unresolved
?issues
,waiting
?for a decision
📝 In Action
Tenemos varios pagos pendientes que debemos realizar antes del viernes.
B1We have several pending payments that we must make before Friday.
Dejé tres llamadas pendientes en mi lista de tareas.
B1I left three outstanding calls on my to-do list.
Las negociaciones están pendientes de la aprobación final del jefe.
B2The negotiations are waiting for the final approval of the boss.
💡 Grammar Points
Agreement
As an adjective, 'pendientes' must match the noun it describes in number and gender (e.g., 'tareas pendientes' - pending tasks; 'asuntos pendientes' - pending matters).
Verb Used
This adjective usually works with 'estar' (to be) to describe the temporary state of being unresolved: 'Las cosas están pendientes'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use in Business
This is a key word in professional and academic settings. Use it to refer to any item on an agenda that hasn't been closed yet.
Pendientes meaning attentive, indicating someone is paying close attention.
pendientes(Adjective)
attentive
?paying close attention
,watchful
?keeping an eye on something
waiting for
?expecting news
📝 In Action
Estaremos pendientes de tu llamada en caso de emergencia.
B2We will be waiting for your call in case of emergency. (Or: We will be keeping an eye out for your call.)
Los niños estaban pendientes de la televisión, sin pestañear.
C1The children were glued to the television, without blinking.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Estar Pendiente' Structure
To express being watchful or waiting, you must use the verb 'estar' followed by 'pendiente/s' and usually the preposition 'de' ('estar pendiente de algo').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Misuse of Ser/Estar
Mistake: "Saying 'Somos pendientes de la noticia' (We are essentially 'pending things' of the news)."
Correction: Always use 'estar' for this meaning, as it describes a current state of watchfulness: 'Estamos pendientes de la noticia'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Sign-off
In professional emails, you can often sign off by saying 'Quedamos pendientes de su respuesta' (We await your reply/We remain attentive to your answer).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pendientes
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'pendientes' to mean 'attentive' or 'watchful'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'pendiente' (singular) masculine or feminine?
It depends on the meaning! As a noun meaning 'earring' or 'slope,' it is masculine (el pendiente). As an adjective meaning 'pending' or 'attentive,' it matches the noun it describes (la tarea pendiente, el pago pendiente).
How do I know if 'pendientes' refers to jewelry or unfinished business?
Context is key. If the sentence is about clothing, jewelry, or fashion, it means 'earrings.' If it's about tasks, work, or decisions, it means 'pending' or 'outstanding.' Look for verbs like 'llevar' (wear) for jewelry, or 'quedar'/'estar' (remain/be) for tasks.