Meaning and Usage
The French verb tenir means to hold or to keep. It is an irregular verb that is commonly used in everyday French to express physical holding, maintaining a position, or even figurative senses such as holding a time or opinion. It is an essential verb for learners to master due to its frequent use and its various idiomatic expressions.
Conjugation Overview
Tenir is conjugated irregularly and belongs to the third group of verbs. It uses stems like tiens-, ten-, and tiendr- depending on the tense and mood. It is conjugated with the auxiliary verb avoir in compound tenses.
Present Tense
The present tense of tenir is used to express current actions of holding or maintaining something. The verb follows an irregular conjugation pattern that differs from regular -ir verbs.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | tiens | I hold/I am holding | Je tiens le livre dans mes mains. | I hold the book in my hands. |
| tu | tiens | you hold/are holding | Tu tiens la porte ouverte. | You hold the door open. |
| il/elle/on | tient | he/she/one holds | Il tient son chapeau. | He holds his hat. |
| nous | tenons | we hold | Nous tenons la corde fermement. | We hold the rope tightly. |
| vous | tenez | you hold | Vous tenez les clés? | Do you hold the keys? |
| ils/elles | tiennent | they hold | Ils tiennent les enfants. | They hold the children. |
Passé Composé
The passé composé of tenir is formed with the auxiliary avoir and the past participle tenu. It is used to indicate that someone has held or kept something in the past.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | ai tenu | I held | J'ai tenu la main de mon ami. | I held my friend's hand. |
| tu | as tenu | you held | Tu as tenu le bébé doucement. | You held the baby gently. |
| il/elle/on | a tenu | he/she/one held | Elle a tenu sa promesse. | She kept her promise. |
| nous | avons tenu | we held | Nous avons tenu la réunion hier. | We held the meeting yesterday. |
| vous | avez tenu | you held | Vous avez tenu bon malgré tout. | You held on despite everything. |
| ils/elles | ont tenu | they held | Ils ont tenu la victoire. | They held the victory. |
Future Tense
In the future tense, tenir takes the stem tiendr- combined with the future endings. It expresses the idea of holding or keeping in the future.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | tiendrai | I will hold | Je tiendrai la porte pour toi. | I will hold the door for you. |
| tu | tiendras | you will hold | Tu tiendras ton engagement. | You will hold your commitment. |
| il/elle/on | tiendra | he/she/one will hold | Il tiendra son rôle avec courage. | He will hold his role with courage. |
| nous | tiendrons | we will hold | Nous tiendrons la réunion demain. | We will hold the meeting tomorrow. |
| vous | tiendrez | you will hold | Vous tiendrez le secret. | You will keep the secret. |
| ils/elles | tiendront | they will hold | Elles tiendront leurs promesses. | They will keep their promises. |
Imperative
The imperative commands of tenir are used to give direct orders or requests related to holding something.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Meaning | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (tu) | tiens | hold (you informal) | Tiens le ballon! | Hold the ball! |
| (nous) | tenons | let's hold | Tenons-nous la main. | Let's hold hands. |
| (vous) | tenez | hold (you formal/plural) | Tenez la ligne. | Hold the line. |
Common Expressions with Tenir
Tenir appears frequently in idiomatic expressions, enriching its usage in various contexts. For example:
- tenir à — to care about, to be attached to something
- tenir bon — to hold on, to persevere
- tenir compte de — to take into account
- tenir la route — to hold up, to be reliable
Example usage:
Je tiens beaucoup à ma famille. — I care a lot about my family.
Summary
The verb tenir is highly versatile, irregular, and important in French communication. Mastering its conjugations and idiomatic uses will greatly enhance understanding and fluency in both spoken and written French.
