How to Say "taut" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “taut” is “tenso” — use 'tenso' when describing something that is pulled very tight, such as a rope, a string, or even a muscle that is stiff or strained.
tenso
TEN-soˈtenso
Examples
La cuerda de la guitarra debe estar muy tensa para que suene bien.
The guitar string must be very taut for it to sound good.
La cuerda tiene que estar muy tensa para que funcione.
The rope has to be very tight for it to work.
Hoy me siento un poco tenso por la reunión de mañana.
I feel a bit tense today because of tomorrow's meeting.
Había un ambiente tenso en la oficina después de la noticia.
There was a strained atmosphere in the office after the news.
Matching the word it describes
This word must change to match the gender of the person or object: use 'tenso' for men/masculine things and 'tensa' for women/feminine things.
Tenso vs. Tensión
Mistake: “Using 'tengo tenso' to say you have tension.”
Correction: Say 'estoy tenso' (I am tense) or 'tengo tensión' (I have tension).
estirado
es-tee-rah-dohestiˈɾaðo
Examples
Mantén tu cuerpo estirado y la espalda recta.
Keep your body taut and your back straight.
Mantén los brazos estirados durante el ejercicio.
Keep your arms stretched during the exercise.
La cuerda está muy estirada y se puede romper.
The rope is very taut and might break.
Tengo el jersey estirado por lavarlo mal.
My sweater is stretched out because I washed it wrong.
Matching the word to the object
Since this word acts as a description, it must change to match the gender and number of what you're talking about. Use 'estirada' for feminine things and 'estirados/as' for plurals.
Use with 'estar'
When describing a state (like a rope being tight), use the verb 'estar' (to be) instead of 'ser'.
Forgetting the 'a'
Mistake: “La cuerda está estirado.”
Correction: La cuerda está estirada. Because 'cuerda' is feminine, the ending must change to 'a'.
Confusing 'tenso' and 'estirado'
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