tentar
verbCEFR B2
What does “tentar” mean in English?
to tempt, to entice
to tempt, to entice (tentar a + infinitive — make something attractive enough to consider)
Example sentences
La oferta salarial era lo suficientemente atractiva como para tentar a varios directivos a abandonar sus puestos actuales.
The salary offer was attractive enough to tempt several managers to leave their current positions.
Le tentaba la idea de abandonarlo todo y empezar una nueva vida en el extranjero.
The idea of abandoning everything and starting a new life abroad tempted him.
No te dejes tentar por soluciones rápidas que a la larga pueden generar más problemas.
Don't be tempted by quick fixes that in the long run can create more problems.
How to use it
Tentar means 'to tempt'. Structure: tentar a alguien a + infinitive; tentar a alguien con + noun. Irregular stem: tiento, tientas (present -ie- in stressed syllables). At B2, it appears in contexts of attractive offers, temptation, and persuasion. Near-synonyms: seducir (seduce/entice — stronger, often more personal), atraer (attract — broader), incitar (incite/urge — often more aggressive or illicit).
Common mistake
Tentar (tempt) has the stem change tienta/tienten in stressed positions — don't write *tenta. Tentador/a = tempting (the adjective). Tentación = temptation (the noun). Don't confuse tentar with probar (to try/test) — that is a different, unrelated meaning of tentar in some dialects (to feel/touch), but the temptation sense dominates at B2.