tenner

A "tenner" is an informal word for ten pounds in British English, especially a £10 note. If someone in the UK asks to borrow a "tenner," they mean £10. It is very common in everyday speech when people talk about small purchases, tickets, or lending money. You might hear, "I only had a tenner left after lunch," or "Can you lend me a tenner until payday?" It started as a word for the note itself, but people also use it for the amount, even if they pay by card or phone. It is a bit like saying "a buck" in American English.

"Tenner" is a well-known informal British English word for ten pounds, especially a £10 note. The form is simple: it comes from "ten" with the "-er" ending, much like "fiver" for five pounds. Although it first pointed more directly to the banknote, people now often use it for the amount itself, even when no cash changes hands.

You will hear "tenner" most often in casual conversation. It fits informal settings, but it would sound out of place in formal business writing or official documents. For example: "That concert ticket only cost me a tenner," or "I need petrol, but I'm skint and only have a tenner."

The word is strongly linked with British speech, but you may also meet it in other English-speaking places for a ten-unit note, such as ten dollars. Even so, the British use for £10 is the clearest and most common meaning for learners. So when you hear someone mention a "tenner," think of an easy, everyday way to talk about ten pounds or, in some contexts, another note with a value of ten.