This page explains the meaning and real-life usage of the French verb tenir.
To learn the conjugation, visit:
👉 Tenir conjugation chart (all tenses + audio) »
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Level: B1 (Intermediate)
Updated January 13, 2026 — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
The French Word of the Day is tenir, meaning “to hold.” This is one of the most versatile verbs in the French language. In this lesson, I’ve handpicked ten uses and matched them with example sentences and audio.
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
✅ Related lessons
📘 Tenir meaning in French
The French verb tenir means “to hold” or “to keep.” It’s used literally — je tiens un livre (I’m holding a book) — and figuratively, in expressions like tenir ses promesses (to keep promises) or tenir éveillé (to keep someone awake). With prepositions, tenir à means “to care about” or “to insist on,” while tenir de means “to take after.” Because of its many everyday uses, tenir is an essential French verb.
🎧 Tenir pronunciation in French
The pronunciation of tenir is /tə.niʁ/, which sounds like “tuh-neer.”
📝 Tenir usage examples
1. Literally to hold
Je tiens un bouquet de fleurs dans les mains.
I’m holding a bouquet of flowers in my hands.
2. To keep
Il tient ses promesses.
He keeps his promises.
3. To own
Nous tenons un restaurant à Paris.
We own a restaurant in Paris.
4. To control
Le professeur ne sait pas tenir sa classe.
The teacher doesn’t know how to control his class.
👉 See also: Savoir conjugation chart (with audio) »
5. Tenir éveillé = to keep awake
Le café me tient éveillé jusqu’à minuit.
Coffee keeps me awake until midnight.
6. To take into account
Nous tenons compte de vos opinions.
We take your opinions into account.
7. Tenir de = To take after
Elle tient de ses deux parents.
She takes after both of her parents.
8. Tenir à = to be attached to
Nous tenons à notre maison.
We are attached to our house.
9. Tiens ! / Tenez ! = hey!
Tiens ! C’est Jacques !
Hey! It’s Jacques!
10. Se tenir = to take place
La conférence se tient demain.
The conference is taking place tomorrow.
🔁 Want to master tenir in all tenses?
See the full tenir conjugation — all major tenses, clear charts, and native-speaker audio.
👉 Tenir conjugation: charts, all tenses, & audio »
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- tenir à + noun — to value / care about
- tenir à verb — to care about / insist on
- tenir au courant — to let (somebody) know
- tenir bon — to hold on / hang in there
- se tenir — to stand / behave oneself
- en tenir compte — to take into account
- y tenir — to be eager for something
- s’y tenir — to stick to it (a plan, promise, etc.)
📚 Related lessons on FrenchLearner!
👉 tenir conjugation chart (with audio) »
👉 tenir quiz »
👉 tiens! — hey! »
👉 Tiens, un revenant (hello stranger!) »
🚀 Continue learning French online on FrenchLearner!
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👉 French for beginners guide »
👉 French song lyrics hub »
Tenir meaning – Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What does tenir mean in French?
Tenir most commonly means “to hold” or “to keep.” Depending on the context, it can also express ideas like owning something, controlling a situation, or maintaining a state.
Is tenir used literally or figuratively?
Both. It can be used literally (je tiens un livre — I’m holding a book) and figuratively (tenir ses promesses — to keep promises, tenir éveillé — to keep awake).
What do tenir à and tenir de mean?
Tenir à means “to care about,” “to be attached to,” or “to insist on.”
Tenir de means “to take after” someone or “to come from” a source.
Is tenir a common verb in everyday French?
Yes. Tenir is very common in spoken and written French and appears in many everyday expressions, which makes it an essential verb to recognize and understand.
