tenue
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “tenue” mean in English?
faint, tenuous — weak in intensity; barely perceptible
faint, tenuous — weak in intensity; barely perceptible (luz tenue, sonido tenue, indicio tenue)
Example sentences
El vínculo entre ambos fenómenos es tenue y no puede establecerse una relación causal sin más evidencia.
The link between both phenomena is tenuous and a causal relationship cannot be established without more evidence.
Una luz tenue se filtraba por la persiana cerrada, apenas suficiente para distinguir las siluetas en la habitación.
A faint light filtered through the closed blind, barely enough to make out the silhouettes in the room.
How to use it
Tenue means 'faint, tenuous' — weak in intensity, barely perceptible, or thin and insubstantial. Used for light, sound, smell, evidence, or connections: luz tenue, olor tenue, indicio tenue, vínculo tenue. Invariable: tenue/tenue (no gender change). Ser/estar: either depending on context — ser for inherent weakness, estar for a current state ('la señal estaba muy tenue').
Common mistake
Tenue ≠ débil: débil applies more broadly (persona débil, señal débil) and can describe strength of will; tenue is specifically about intensity/perceptibility or thinness of a physical or abstract thread.