teniente
“teniente” means “lieutenant” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
lieutenant
Also: first lieutenant, sub-lieutenant
📝 In Action
El teniente dio la orden de avanzar.
B1The lieutenant gave the order to advance.
La teniente García es la oficial al mando.
B2Lieutenant García is the officer in command.
Fue ascendido a teniente después de tres años de servicio.
B2He was promoted to lieutenant after three years of service.
deputy
Also: substitute, assistant
📝 In Action
El teniente de alcalde inauguró el nuevo parque.
C1The deputy mayor inaugurated the new park.
Actuó como teniente del director durante su ausencia.
C1He acted as the director's deputy during his absence.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "teniente" in Spanish:
assistant→deputy→first lieutenant→lieutenant→sub-lieutenant→substitute→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: teniente
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'teniente' to mean 'deputy'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Old French phrase 'lieu tenant', which literally means 'place holder'. It's a combination of 'lieu' (place) and 'tenant' (the person holding), which comes from the verb 'tenir' (to hold). This perfectly describes someone who holds a rank or acts in place of a superior.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'teniente' only for the army?
No, it's a rank used in many uniformed services, including the army ('ejército'), navy ('armada'), air force ('fuerza aérea'), and police forces ('policía'). The specific responsibilities can vary between them.
How do I say 'lieutenant' for a woman?
You say 'la teniente'. The word itself doesn't change, just the little word 'el' or 'la' before it. This is common for many job titles in Spanish that end with the letter '-e'.