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French vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "to hold" in French?
tenir
In French, "to hold" is tenir.
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Pronunciation
tuh-NEER. Two syllables with stress on the second syllable.
Grammar notes
An irregular IR verb. Conjugates: je tiens, tu tiens, il/elle tient, nous tenons, vous tenez, ils/elles tiennent.
Example sentence
Je tiens la main.
I hold the hand.
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How to remember tenir
Tenir means to hold or keep. Imagine holding something tightly and refusing to let go.
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Browse all French words in the glossary.
Questions about tenir
How do you say "to hold" in French?
In French, "to hold" is tenir. It is a noun.
How is tenir written in French?
tenir is written using the standard French script.
How is tenir used in a sentence?
Use tenir as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: Je tiens la main. (I hold the hand.).
Where can I practice French words for free?
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"To hold" in other languages
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