tender a
verbCEFR B2
What does “tender a” mean in English?
to tend to
to tend to (tender a + infinitive — hedged generalisation; a pattern that holds, not a universal law)
Example sentences
Los debates televisivos tienden a simplificar posiciones complejas para adaptarse al formato de entretenimiento.
Television debates tend to simplify complex positions to adapt to the entertainment format.
Las personas tienden a buscar información que confirme sus creencias previas, un fenómeno conocido como sesgo de confirmación.
People tend to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs, a phenomenon known as confirmation bias.
La discusión tiende a desviarse cuando no hay un moderador claro que mantenga el filo del debate.
The discussion tends to drift when there is no clear moderator to keep the debate on track.
How to use it
Tender a + infinitive means 'to tend to', 'to have a tendency to' — a hedging expression used to make generalisations while acknowledging they may not be universal. It is essential for calibrated academic argument at B2: instead of asserting 'X always does Y', the speaker says 'X tiende a hacer Y'. Regular -er verb with stem change: tiendo, tiendes, tiende (e→ie in stressed syllables), but not in nosotros/vosotros forms: tendemos, tendéis. Common in both formal and informal registers.
Common mistake
Tender a is stem-changing (tiendo, tiendes, tiende, tendemos, tendéis, tienden) — don't use *tendo. Also: tender a is a hedged generalisation, not an absolute — don't use it where a stronger assertion is needed ('siempre', 'invariablemente'). English 'tend to' maps perfectly here. Don't confuse with tendencia a + noun/infinitive (the noun: 'una tendencia a simplificar') — both are B2 patterns and complement each other in formal writing.