Tenir Conjugation French: The Complete Guide and Tense Tables

Tenir Conjugation in French: The Ultimate Guide and Tenses Table

Mastering tenir conjugation in French is an essential milestone for any serious French learner. Tenir translates primarily to "to hold" or "to keep", but it is also used in a vast array of common idiomatic expressions, ranging from expressing emotional attachment (tenir à) to persevering through hardship (tenir bon).

Belonging to the third conjugation group, tenir is an irregular verb. However, it follows the exact same inflection pattern as venir ("to come") and all verbs built on its root (maintenir, soutenir, retenir, appartenir). Once you master tenir, you unlock dozens of related verbs effortlessly.

In this complete guide by my-french.com, explore every tense with clear conjugation tables, pronunciation notes, and practical everyday examples.

1. Present Tense (Présent de l'indicatif)

In the present indicative tense, tenir changes its root between the singular persons (and 3rd-person plural) and the 1st/2nd-person plural:

Example: Je tiens mon sac à deux mains. (I am holding my bag with both hands.)

2. Past Tenses in French

Passé Composé (Compound Past)

The passé composé expresses completed past actions. In its non-reflexive form, tenir takes the auxiliary verb avoir followed by the past participle tenu.

• J'ai tenu
• Tu as tenu
• Il / Elle / On a tenu
• Nous avons tenu
• Vous avez tenu
• Ils / Elles ont tenu

Note: If you use the pronominal form se tenir (e.g., to stand or behave), switch the auxiliary to être: Elle s'est bien tenue. (She behaved well.)

Imparfait (Imperfect)

The imperfect is used for ongoing past descriptions and habits. Take the present nous stem (ten-) and append standard endings:

• Je tenais
• Tu tenais
• Il / Elle / On tenait
• Nous tenions
• Vous teniez
• Ils / Elles tenaient

Passé Simple (Literary Past)

Commonly encountered in literature and formal history:

• Je tins
• Tu tins
• Il tint
• Nous tînmes
• Vous tîntes
• Ils tinrent

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3. Future and Conditional Tenses

Both the future and conditional stems transform into tiendr-.

Futur Simple

Conditionnel Présent

Add imperfect endings to the tiendr- stem:

• Je tiendrais (I would hold)
• Tu tiendrais (You would hold)
• Il / Elle / On tiendrait (He/She would hold)
• Nous tiendrions (We would hold)
• Vous tiendriez (You would hold)
• Ils / Elles tiendraient (They would hold)

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4. Subjunctive Mood (Subjonctif Présent)

The subjunctive mood expresses doubt, necessity, or feelings. Notice the double "n" across the singular persons and the third-person plural:

• Que je tienne
• Que tu tiennes
• Qu'il / elle / on tienne
• Que nous tenions
• Que vous teniez
• Qu'ils / elles tiennent

Example: Il est essentiel que nous tenions nos engagements. (It is essential that we keep our commitments.)

5. Imperative Mood (Impératif)

Give commands or hand something to someone using the imperative:

• Tiens ! (Hold! / Here you go!)
• Tenons ! (Let's hold!)
• Tenez ! (Hold! / Here you are! - formal)

In informal French conversations, natives frequently say « Tiens ! » or « Tenez ! » when handing an item to someone, comparable to "Here you go!" in English.

6. Popular Expressions Using « Tenir »

To sound truly natural in French, incorporate these common idioms:

1. Tenir à cœur : To be close to one's heart (Ce projet me tient à cœur).

2. Tenir le coup : To hold out, to cope under pressure.

3. Tenir compte de : To take into account or consider.

4. Tenir de : To take after somebody (Elle tient de sa mère).

5. S'en tenir à : To stick to something (Tenons-nous-en aux faits).

Quick Memorization Strategy

Whenever you conjugate tenir, think of venir. Switch the initial T for a V (je tiens / je viens, je tiendrai / je viendrai, que je tienne / que je vienne). By memorizing this single template, you conquer two of the most critical irregular verbs in the French language!