French Expressions With Tenir

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Se tenir au courant de quelque chose means "to keep informed about something.". piola666/E+/Getty Images

The French verb tenir literally means to hold, keep, or grasp and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to keep in mind, have on good authority, keep an eye on someone, and more with this list of expressions with tenir.

Examples of Expressions With Tenir

  • tenir à + infinitive—to be anxious to
  • tenir à ce que + subjunctive—to be anxious that
  • tenir à quelque chose—to cherish something
  • tenir bon—to hold one's ground
  • tenir compagnie à quelqu'un—to keep someone company
  • tenir compte de—to keep in mind, to take into account
  • tenir debout (figuratively)—to hold water
  • tenir de bonne source—to have on good authority
  • tenir de quelqu'un—to take after someone
  • tenir le bon bout—to be on the right track
  • tenir le coupto hold out, to make it through
  • tenir rigueur à quelqu'un de ne pasto hold it against someone for not
  • tenir quelqu'un à l'oeil—to keep an eye on someone
  • tenir quelqu'un/quelque chose pour—to regard someone/something as
  • en tenir pour quelqu'un—to fancy/have a crush on someone
  • il tient que—it depends on
  • Qu'à cela ne tienne.—That's no problem.
  • tenez votre gauche/droite—to keep to the left/right
  • Tiens !Hey there! or Take this.
  • se tenir + adjective—to behave
  • se tenir à quelque chose—to hold onto something
  • se tenir au courant de quelque chose—to keep informed about something
  • se tenir les côtes—to split one's sides laughing
  • Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras.—A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
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Team, ThoughtCo. "French Expressions With Tenir." ThoughtCo, Dec. 6, 2021, thoughtco.com/french-expressions-with-tenir-1368721. Team, ThoughtCo. (2021, December 6). French Expressions With Tenir. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/french-expressions-with-tenir-1368721 Team, ThoughtCo. "French Expressions With Tenir." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/french-expressions-with-tenir-1368721 (accessed March 29, 2024).