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tenir

"tenir" means "to have" in French. It is number 374 on the frequency list, in A1 (verb).

Meaning

to have; to hold; to keep

IPA

/tə.niʁ/

Forms in this course

tiens, tient, tenez

Level

A1

Practice this word

Updated October 21, 2026

Example sentences

• Tiens ça !
  Hold this.
  Tatoeba: sacredceltic / CK
• Tiens bon !
  Hang on.
  Tatoeba: sacredceltic / CK
• Tiens donc !
  How about that!
  Tatoeba: Micsmithel / CM

Learned together

In the course, "tenir" is in the same group as these words. You master them as a set.

• laisser to leave, to leave behind
• mettre to put
• revoir to see again
• donner to give
• voici here is
• perdre to lose
• espérer to hope
• jouer to play
• vivre to live

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