tense
gb/tˈɛns/ us/tˈɛns/
A2
Englisch
~ 1800
Bedeutungen
0 Bedeutungen
adjective
B1
state
1
Feeling nervous or worried
Feeling worried, nervous, or unable to relax.
Verwendungsmuster:
[someone] feels tense
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes confuse 'tense' with 'tight' when talking about feelings. 'Tense' is about emotional or mental stress, not physical tightness.
Synonyme
anxious (Often implies worry about something specific or in the future.)
Antonyme
relaxed (Describes a state of calmness and ease, the opposite of tense.)
Wortverbindungen
tense atmosphere
|feel tense
|tense situation
|look tense
Themen
emotions
|daily life
|health
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- She felt tense before giving her speech.
- The atmosphere in the room was tense after the argument.
- He looked tense as he waited for the results.
Beispiele für Lernende
- I feel tense before a test.
- The room is tense after the fight.
- He is tense when he talks to his boss.
adjective
B1
property
2
Stretched tight or stiff
Pulled tight and not loose.
Verwendungsmuster:
[something] is tense
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes use 'tense' instead of 'tight' for clothing. 'Tense' is usually for muscles, ropes, or situations, not clothes.
Synonyme
taut (Focuses on being physically pulled tight.)
Antonyme
slack (Describes something that is loose or not tight.)
Wortverbindungen
tense muscles
|tense body
|tense rope
Themen
physical
|description
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- The rope was tense under the weight.
- Her muscles were tense from holding the heavy bag.
- He kept his body tense during the exercise.
Beispiele für Lernende
- The rope is tense.
- My legs are tense after running.
- His arms are tense when he lifts weights.
Nomen
technical
A2
entity
3
Verb form showing time
The form of a verb that shows when something happens (past, present, future).
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners may confuse 'tense' with 'time'. Tense is about verb form, not actual clock time.
Synonyme
verb form (A broader term that can include aspects beyond time.)
Antonyme
aspect (A related grammatical category that shows how an action extends over time rather than when it occurs.)
Wortverbindungen
present tense
|past tense
|future tense
Themen
language
|grammar
|education
|communication
Beispiele
- In English, the past tense often ends in -ed.
- The teacher explained how to use the present tense correctly.
- Future tense is less common in some languages.
Beispiele für Lernende
- We use past tense for yesterday.
- Present tense means now.
- Future tense means later.
Verb
B1
action
4
Make tight or rigid
To make something tight, or to become tight.
Verwendungsmuster:
to tense [something]
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes use 'tense' instead of 'stretch'. 'Tense' means to make tight, not to lengthen.
Synonyme
tighten (A more general term for making something tighter; not limited to physical or emotional contexts.)
Antonyme
loosen (Means to make less tight physically.)
Wortverbindungen
tense muscles
|tense up
Themen
physical
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- She tensed her shoulders before lifting the box.
- His jaw tensed when he heard the bad news.
- The rope tensed as the weight increased.
Beispiele für Lernende
- I tense my arms when I lift heavy things.
- He tenses his face when angry.
- The rope tenses when we pull it.
Grammatik
Grundform
tense
IPA
GB/tˈɛns/
US/tˈɛns/
Silben & Betonung
tense (1 Silbe)
Stress on 1st syllable (tense)
Wortformen
Adjective
- Base: tense
- Comparative: tenser
- Superlative: tensest
Noun
- Base: tense
- Plural: tense, tenses
Verb
- Base: tense
- 3rd Person Singular: tenses
- Present Participle: tensing
- Past: tensed
Wortfamilie
Ausdrücke
in the past tense
1/ˈɪn ðə pˈæst tˈɛns/
fixed phrase
technical
Using verbs for past time
Using a verb form that shows something happened before now.
Beispiele
- You should write this story in the past tense.
- He spoke in the past tense about his old job.
tense up
1/tˈɛns ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Suddenly become tight or stiff
To suddenly make your body or mind tight because you are nervous, afraid, or ready for action.
Beispiele
- She tensed up when she saw the snake.
- I always tense up before an exam.