How to Conjugate Tenir
Add -iens to say "I hold" or "you hold.", Use the -ient ending to say "he/she holds.", Add -enons to say "we hold.", Say "you all hold" by adding -enez., Use the -iennent ending for "they hold."
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Add -iens to say "I hold" or "you hold."
For present tense, the verb form for first person and second person is the same.
Only the pronoun you use will be different. "I hold" is "je tiens" and "you hold" is "tu tiens."Keep in mind that the tu form is considered informal, and should only be used when talking to children or people you know well.
If you're talking to an older person or an authority figure, it's better to use "vous." -
Step 2: Use the -ient ending to say "he/she holds."
Conjugate tenir as "il tient" if you want to say "he holds," or "elle tient" for "she holds." Remember that in French objects also have a gender, so use the appropriate pronoun.For example, if you wanted to say "that box holds my papers," you might say "cette boîte tient mes papiers" or "elle tient mes papiers," since the word boîte is feminine.
You also could say "cette boîte contient mes papiers." Contient is the conjugation for the compound verb contenir, which means the same as the English verb contain.
It is conjugated the same as the verb tenir. , For the first person plural conjugation, you would use "nous tenons" to mean "we hold." Note that you don't include an i here, as you did with first, second, and third person singular., If you are addressing several people, or you're talking to an authority figure and want to use the more formal version of you, conjugate tenir as "vous tenez."
The i returns for the third person plural form of tenir in present tense.
To say "they hold" you would either say "ils tiennent" or "elles tiennent" depending on the gender of the group.Use ils if you are talking about a mixed-gender group.
This also applies if you are referring to several objects that have both masculine and feminine nouns. -
Step 3: Add -enons to say "we hold."
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Step 4: Say "you all hold" by adding -enez.
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Step 5: Use the -iennent ending for "they hold."
Detailed Guide
For present tense, the verb form for first person and second person is the same.
Only the pronoun you use will be different. "I hold" is "je tiens" and "you hold" is "tu tiens."Keep in mind that the tu form is considered informal, and should only be used when talking to children or people you know well.
If you're talking to an older person or an authority figure, it's better to use "vous."
Conjugate tenir as "il tient" if you want to say "he holds," or "elle tient" for "she holds." Remember that in French objects also have a gender, so use the appropriate pronoun.For example, if you wanted to say "that box holds my papers," you might say "cette boîte tient mes papiers" or "elle tient mes papiers," since the word boîte is feminine.
You also could say "cette boîte contient mes papiers." Contient is the conjugation for the compound verb contenir, which means the same as the English verb contain.
It is conjugated the same as the verb tenir. , For the first person plural conjugation, you would use "nous tenons" to mean "we hold." Note that you don't include an i here, as you did with first, second, and third person singular., If you are addressing several people, or you're talking to an authority figure and want to use the more formal version of you, conjugate tenir as "vous tenez."
The i returns for the third person plural form of tenir in present tense.
To say "they hold" you would either say "ils tiennent" or "elles tiennent" depending on the gender of the group.Use ils if you are talking about a mixed-gender group.
This also applies if you are referring to several objects that have both masculine and feminine nouns.
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