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teñir

teh-NYEER/teˈɲiɾ/

“teñir” means “to dye” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to dye

Also: to tint, to stain
VerbB1irregular ir
Latin America
A white t-shirt being dipped into a bucket of bright blue liquid, showing the fabric changing color.
gerundtiñendo
past Participleteñido
infinitiveteñir

📝 In Action

Quiero teñir mi camiseta de azul.

A2

I want to dye my t-shirt blue.

Ella se tiñe el pelo cada tres meses.

B1

She dyes her hair every three months.

Es difícil teñir esta tela sintética.

B2

It is difficult to dye this synthetic fabric.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tintar (to dye/tint)
  • colorear (to color)

Antonyms

  • desteñir (to fade/un-dye)
  • decolorar (to bleach)

Common Collocations

  • teñir el pelo – to dye one's hair
  • teñir de azul – to dye blue
  • teñir a mano – to dye by hand

to tinge

Also: to stain
VerbC1irregular irformal
A white flower with its petal edges turning a soft pink color as if dipped in light paint.
gerundtiñendo
past Participleteñido
infinitiveteñir

📝 In Action

El atardecer tiñó el cielo de naranja.

B2

The sunset tinged the sky orange.

La sangre tiñó el suelo de la habitación.

C1

Blood stained the floor of the room.

Ese escándalo tiñó su carrera política.

C2

That scandal stained his political career.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • teñirse de sangre – to be stained with blood
  • teñirse de luto – to be tinged with mourning/sadness

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedestiñeran
yotiñera
tútiñeras
vosotrostiñerais
nosotrostiñéramos
él/ella/ustedtiñera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedestiñan
yotiña
tútiñas
vosotrostiñáis
nosotrostiñamos
él/ella/ustedtiña

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedestiñeron
yoteñí
túteñiste
vosotrosteñisteis
nosotrosteñimos
él/ella/ustedtiñó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesteñían
yoteñía
túteñías
vosotrosteñíais
nosotrosteñíamos
él/ella/ustedteñía

present

ellos/ellas/ustedestiñen
yotiño
tútiñes
vosotrosteñís
nosotrosteñimos
él/ella/ustedtiñe
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "teñir" in Spanish:

to dye→to stain→to tinge→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: teñir

Question 1 of 3

Which form is correct for 'They dyed'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tinte(dye/tint) — Noun
tintorería(dry cleaner's / dye shop) — Noun
teñido(dyed) — Adjective
desteñir(to fade/lose color) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
reñirceñir
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'tingere', which means to wet, soak, or color.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: tingeItalian: tingere

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'teñir' only for hair?

No, it is used for any material where the color soaks in, like clothes, wood, or even metaphorical things like a reputation.

What is the difference between 'teñir' and 'tintar'?

They are mostly synonymous, but 'teñir' is much more common in everyday speech, especially for hair and clothes.

Why isn't it 'teñido' for the present tense 'yo'?

Because it's a stem-changing verb! The 'e' in the root changes to 'i' whenever it's stressed.