tenis
“tenis” means “tennis” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
tennis
📝 In Action
Me gusta ver los partidos de tenis en la televisión.
A1I like watching tennis matches on television.
La cancha de tenis estaba mojada por la lluvia.
A2The tennis court was wet because of the rain.
sneakers
Also: tennis shoes, trainers
📝 In Action
Necesito unos tenis cómodos para caminar todo el día.
A2I need comfortable sneakers to walk all day.
¿Viste mis tenis blancos? No los encuentro.
A1Did you see my white tennis shoes? I can't find them.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tenis
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'tenis' to mean footwear?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The Spanish word 'tenis' is a direct borrowing from the English word 'tennis'. The English word itself is believed to come from the Old French word 'tenetz', which was the cry players would shout before serving the ball, meaning 'receive!' or 'hold!'.
First recorded: 19th century (in Spanish)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'tenis' singular or plural?
It depends on the meaning! When referring to the sport, it is singular and masculine ('el tenis'). When referring to a pair of shoes, it is always treated as a plural masculine noun ('los tenis').
Why is 'tenis' masculine if it ends in 's'?
'Tenis' is an imported word (a foreign loanword). It is treated as masculine because the word for 'sport' ('deporte') is masculine, and the word for 'shoe' ('zapato') is masculine.