Inklingo
← Dictionary

tender

ten-DEHRtenˈdeɾ

“tender” means “to hang out” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to hang out

Also: to lay out, to make
VerbA2irregular (e to ie change) er
Latin America
Colorful clothes hanging on a string between two poles in a sunny yard.
gerundtendiendo
past Participletendido
infinitivetender

📝 In Action

Hace sol, voy a tender la ropa en el patio.

A2

It's sunny, I'm going to hang out the laundry in the patio.

Siempre tendemos las toallas mojadas después de la piscina.

A2

We always hang out the wet towels after the pool.

Ayúdame a tender el mantel sobre la mesa.

B1

Help me spread the tablecloth over the table.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • tender la ropa – to hang out the washing
  • tender la cama – to make the bed

to tend to

Also: to reach out
VerbB2irregular (e to ie change) er
A small plant leaning its stem and leaves towards the bright sun coming from a window.
gerundtendiendo
past Participletendido
infinitivetender

📝 In Action

Las temperaturas tienden a bajar por la noche.

B2

Temperatures tend to drop at night.

Le tendió la mano para ayudarle a subir.

B2

He reached out his hand to help him up.

Ella tiende a ser optimista en situaciones difíciles.

C1

She tends to be optimistic in difficult situations.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • tender a infinito – to tend towards infinity
  • tender la mano – to reach out/offer a hand
  • tender un puente – to build a bridge (figuratively)

Idioms & Expressions

  • tender una trampa – to set a trap

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yotendiera
tútendieras
él/ella/ustedtendiera
nosotrosendiéramos
vosotrostendierais
ellos/ellas/ustedestendieran

Present Subjunctive

yotienda
tútiendas
él/ella/ustedtienda
nosotrostendamos
vosotrostendáis
ellos/ellas/ustedestiendan

Indicative

Preterite

yotendí
tútendiste
él/ella/ustedtendió
nosotrostendimos
vosotrostendisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedestendieron

Imperfect

yotendía
tútendías
él/ella/ustedtendía
nosotrostendíamos
vosotrostendíais
ellos/ellas/ustedestendían

Present

yotiendo
tútiendes
él/ella/ustedtiende
nosotrostendemos
vosotrostendéis
ellos/ellas/ustedestienden
View All Tenses & Moods →

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "tender" in Spanish:

to make→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: tender

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I hang out the clothes' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tendencia(tendency) — Noun
tendido(laid out / line of laundry) — Adjective / Noun
tierno(tender (soft)) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin verb 'tendere', meaning to stretch, extend, or aim.

First recorded: 12th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: extendFrench: tendre

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'tender' and 'tierno'?

'Tender' is a verb meaning to hang, stretch, or tend to. 'Tierno' is an adjective meaning soft, delicate, or affectionate. They are often confused by English speakers because 'tender' in English is an adjective.

Is 'tender' always followed by 'a'?

Only when it means 'to have a tendency' (e.g., 'Tiende a mentir'). When it means 'to hang clothes' or 'to spread', you don't need the 'a' before the object.

Is it a regular verb?

No, it's slightly irregular. The letter 'e' changes to 'ie' in most present tense forms (tiendo, tiendes, etc.).