Spanish Conversation · Level 127
59 words
Spanish word
propensión
Pronunciation
IPA/pɾopenˈsjon/
Meaning
- feminine nountendency
Example
Ella tiene propensión a preocuparse.
She has a tendency to worry.
More examples
Los emprendedores suelen tener propensión al riesgo.
Entrepreneurs tend to have a propensity for risk.
Core concept
Person leaning forward toward an action.
Common phrases
tener propensión a
have a tendency to
propensión al riesgo
propensity for risk
propensión genética
genetic tendency
Similar words
tendencia: Manifests as a general tendency or direction that develops over time or across cases.
inclinación: Expresses a subtle mental or character leaning toward a particular option or taste.
Definition in Spanish
Inclinación o tendencia natural de una persona o cosa hacia un comportamiento, acción o estado; suele construirse con 'a' + infinitivo.
Word origin
From Latin propendēre 'to lean forward', from pro- 'forward' + pendere 'to hang', later becoming a noun meaning an inclination.
Usage tips
- Usually built with 'a' plus an infinitive (tener propensión a + infinitive), and speakers often use the more colloquial tender a in conversation.