PrepMyFrench
PrepMyFrench
Conjugation directory
Tenir is a flexible verb for holding, keeping, maintaining, and expressing points of view. It is one of those verbs that quietly appears everywhere.
Use it for physical holding, keeping a promise, or holding a position on an issue.
Je tiens à remercier toute l'équipe.
I want to thank the whole team.
Tenir appears in many idioms, so its meaning can shift from holding to insisting or keeping.
Use the table above and the related links below to pin the pattern down before you move on to other verbs.
Start with the present tense, then the passé composé. Those two forms carry most everyday conversation and make the rest of the table easier to recognise.
Tenir typically uses avoir in compound tenses. Check the table above and keep the past participle in view when you move into compound forms.
Use the related links below and then open the interactive conjugator to compare this verb with others you use often.