tenir
/tə.niʁ/
The French verb for 'to hold' is tenir.
tenir means to grasp something in one's hands. It is also used in the idiom tenir bon, which means to hold on or to persevere during a difficult situation. For related meanings such as 'cargo area' (as in a ship's hold), the nouns soute or cale are used.
Meaning: to grasp (verb)
Which one should you use?
While tenir means to hold or grasp something in one's hands, the verb porter is used specifically for the act of carrying something. If you want to express the idea of 'holding' in the sense of maintaining a state, position or level, the synonym maintenir is often used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular present form of tenir is tient (holds/is holding), and its past participle is tenu (held).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /tə.niʁ/.
Did you know?
- When someone says tiens ! as an interjection, they are not asking you to hold anything, but are instead expressing surprise, similar to 'look!' or 'hey!'
- The expression tenir à quelque chose does not mean to physically grasp an object, but rather to deeply value or cherish something.
- The English word 'tenant' shares the same Latin ancestor as tenir, as both derive from the root meaning 'to hold'.
Examples in context
- Je veux te tenir.I want to hold you.This sentence shows how to use tenir to express wanting to hold someone.Tatoeba #1074487 by sacredceltic, translation #1073584 by eeveeta
- Tu peux me tenir ça ?Would you hold this for me?This sentence demonstrates asking someone to hold an object using tenir.Tatoeba #12921799 by lbdx, translation #10068407 by CK
- Je veux tenir ta main.I want to hold your hand.This sentence illustrates using tenir in the context of holding a hand.Tatoeba #5404128 by pititnatole, translation #2429867 by Hybrid
- Peux-tu prendre mon sac pendant que je prends une photo ?Can you hold my bag while I take a photo?
- Tiens-moi la main pendant que nous traversons la rue.Hold my hand while we cross the street.
- Serre-toi bien pendant que nous descendons la colline.Hold on tight while we go down the hill
- Je vais te tenir la porte.I'll be holding the door for you
- Pourrais-tu tenir ceci un instant ?Could you hold this for a moment?
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan is helping Manon carry some things into the house.
- NathanPeux-tu tenir ce carton pour moi ?Can you hold this box for me?
- ManonOui, Nathan, donne-le moi.Yes, Nathan, give it to me.
- NathanC'est assez lourd, n'est-ce pas ?It is quite heavy, isn't it?
- ManonOui, mais je peux le tenir.Yes, but I can hold it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hold” translations and entries tenir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tenir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
