The French verb "retenir" means "to retain/hold back" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "retenir" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "retenir" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | retiens |
| tu | you (informal) | retiens |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | retient |
| nous | we | retenons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | retenez |
| ils/elles | they | retiennent |
Il retient son souffle.
say it EEL ruh-TYAN sohn SOOF
He holds his breath.
In other languages
- German Er hält den Atem an.
- Spanish Él contiene la respiración.
- Dutch Hij houdt zijn adem in.
Je retiens ton nom.
say it ZHUH ruh-TYAN tohn NOHM
I remember your name.
In other languages
- German Ich erinnere mich an Ihren Namen.
- Spanish Recuerdo tu nombre.
- Dutch Ik herinner me je naam.
How to Conjugate "retenir" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai retenu |
| tu | you (informal) | as retenu |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a retenu |
| nous | we | avons retenu |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez retenu |
| ils/elles | they | ont retenu |
Il a retenu son souffle.
say it EEL ah ruh-tuh-NEW sohn SOOFL
He held his breath.
In other languages
- German Er hielt den Atem an.
- Spanish Él contuvo la respiración.
- Dutch Hij hield zijn adem in.
J'ai retenu la leçon.
say it ZHAY ruh-tuh-NEW lah luh-SOHN
I retained the lesson.
In other languages
- German Ich behielt die Lektion.
- Spanish Retuve la lección.
- Dutch Ik heb de les onthouden.
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Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "retenir" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | retenais |
| tu | you (informal) | retenais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | retenait |
| nous | we | retenions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | reteniez |
| ils/elles | they | retenaient |
Il retenait son sourire.
say it EEL ruh-tuh-NEH sohn soo-REER
He was holding back his smile.
In other languages
- German Er hielt sein Lächeln zurück.
- Spanish Él estaba conteniendo su sonrisa.
- Dutch Hij hield zijn glimlach in.
Je retenais mon souffle.
say it ZHUH ruh-tuh-NEH mohn soofl
I was holding my breath.
In other languages
- German Ich hielt den Atem an.
- Spanish Estaba conteniendo la respiración.
- Dutch Ik hield mijn adem in.
How to Conjugate "retenir" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | retiendrai |
| tu | you (informal) | retiendras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | retiendra |
| nous | we | retiendrons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | retiendrez |
| ils/elles | they | retiendront |
Il retiendra son billet.
say it EEL ruh-tee-AN-DRAH son bee-YAY
He will keep his ticket.
In other languages
- German Er wird sein Ticket behalten.
- Spanish Él guardará su billete.
- Dutch Hij zal zijn ticket bewaren.
Je retiendrai ton nom.
say it ZHUH ruh-tee-AN-DRAY ton nohm
I will remember your name.
In other languages
- German Ich werde mich an deinen Namen erinnern.
- Spanish Recordaré tu nombre.
- Dutch Ik zal je naam onthouden.
How to Conjugate "retenir" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | retiendrais |
| tu | you (informal) | retiendrais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | retiendrait |
| nous | we | retiendrions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | retiendriez |
| ils/elles | they | retiendraient |
Il retiendrait sa colère.
say it EEL ruh-tee-AN-dray sah koh-LER
He would hold back his anger.
In other languages
- German Er würde seine Wut zurückhalten.
- Spanish Él contendría su ira.
- Dutch Hij zou zijn woede inhouden.
Je retiendrais ton nom.
say it ZHUH ruh-tee-AN-dray tohn nohm
I would remember your name.
In other languages
- German Ich würde mich an deinen Namen erinnern.
- Spanish Recordaría tu nombre.
- Dutch Ik zou je naam onthouden.
Frequently Asked Questions About "retenir"
Is "retenir" regular or irregular in French?
"Retenir" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "retenir" mean in English?
The French verb "retenir" means "to retain/hold back" in English.
How do you conjugate "retenir" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → retiens, tu → retiens, il/elle/on → retient, nous → retenons, vous → retenez, ils/elles → retiennent.
How many tenses does "retenir" have in French?
"Retenir" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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