Tenir Expressions

Keeping French Phrases

	Share / Tweet / Pin Me!

The French verb tenir, “to hold” or "to keep," is found in many idiomatic expressions, including to cherish, to stand firm, and to have a crush on. Learn these and dozens of other French expressions featuring tenir.

Tenir translations

• to fulfill
• to grasp
• to handle
• to have under control
• to hold
• to keep
• to manage
• to stem from
• to value

Tenir expressions

tenir à			to cherish, value, be attached to to be do to, stem from
tenir à + infinitive			to be anxious to
tenir à ce que + subjunctive			to be anxious that
tenir à l’oeil			to keep an eye on
tenir au courant			to keep someone posted
tenir bon			to hold one’s ground
tenir chaud			to keep warm
tenir compagnie à quelqu’un			to keep someone company
tenir compte de			to keep in mind, to take into account
tenir conseil			to hold a meeting, deliberate
tenir de			to take after, to come from
tenir de bonne source			to have on good authority
tenir de quelqu’un			to take after someone
tenir debout	(figurative)		to hold water, make sense
tenir en haleine			to hold someone spellbound, in suspense
tenir en place			to hold still
tenir ferme			to stand firm, hold out
tenir l’alcool	(informal)		to be able to hold one’s liquor
tenir la chandelle			to be a third wheel, play gooseberry
tenir la dragée haute à qqun			to hold out on someone
tenir la jambe à qqun	(informal)		to bend someone’s ear
tenir la route	(vehicle)		to hold the road
	(informal)		to be well-made, to hold water, be viable
tenir le bon bout	(informal)		to be on the right track, be past the worst
tenir le choc	(informal)		to hack it, be able to handle it
tenir le coup			to hold out, to make it through
tenir le haut du pavé			to be the leader, on top
tenir les rênes			to be in power
tenir lieu de			to take the place of, substitute for
tenir pour			to consider/regard someone/something as
tenir rigueur à quelqu’un de ne pas			to hold it against someone for not
tenir sa langue			to hold one’s tongue
tenir sa promesse			to keep one’s promise
tenir tête à			to stand up to
tenir une conversation			to have a conversation
en tenir pour quelqu’un			to fancy/have a crush on someone
Ça ne tient qu’à			It depends on / is up to
Je ne tiens plus debout			I’m ready to drop
Il tient que			It depends on
Qu’à cela ne tienne !			No problem!
Tenez votre gauche/droite			Keep to the left/right
Tiens !			Hey there! or Take this.
Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l’auras.			A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
se tenir	(reflexive)		to hold oneself in a certain position
	(reciprocal)		to hold each other
se tenir à (quelque chose)			to hold onto (something)
se tenir à carreau	(informal)		to watch one’s step, keep one’s nose clean
se tenir au courant de quelque chose			to keep informed about something
se tenir bien			to behave
se tenir les côtes			to split one’s sides laughing
se tenir mal			to misbehave
s’en tenir à			to limit / confine oneself to

 Related lessons

• Tenir conjugations
• Using tenir
• Pronominal verbs

 Share / Tweet / Pin Me!