The German verb "halten" means "to hold, to stop" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "halten" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "halten" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | halte |
| du | you (informal) | hältst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hält |
| wir | we | halten |
| ihr | you all (informal) | haltet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | halten |
Er hält das Versprechen.
He keeps the promise.
How to Conjugate "halten" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hielt |
| du | you (informal) | hieltest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hielt |
| wir | we | hielten |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hieltet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hielten |
Er hielt den Wagen an.
He stopped the car.
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Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe gehalten |
| du | you (informal) | hast gehalten |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat gehalten |
| wir | we | haben gehalten |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt gehalten |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben gehalten |
Er hat die Tür gehalten.
He has held the door.
How to Conjugate "halten" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte gehalten |
| du | you (informal) | hattest gehalten |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte gehalten |
| wir | we | hatten gehalten |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet gehalten |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten gehalten |
Er hatte den Bus gehalten.
He had stopped the bus.
How to Conjugate "halten" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde halten |
| du | you (informal) | wirst halten |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird halten |
| wir | we | werden halten |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet halten |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden halten |
Er wird das Versprechen halten.
He will keep the promise.
How to Conjugate "halten" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | halte |
| du | you (informal) | haltest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | halte |
| wir | we | halten |
| ihr | you all (informal) | haltet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | halten |
Er sagt, er halte den Ball.
He says that he holds the ball.
How to Conjugate "halten" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hielte |
| du | you (informal) | hieltest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hielte |
| wir | we | hielten |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hieltet |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hielten |
Er hielte das Versprechen sicher.
He would surely keep the promise.
Frequently Asked Questions About "halten"
Is "halten" regular or irregular in German?
"Halten" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "halten" mean in English?
The German verb "halten" means "to hold, to stop" in English.
How do you conjugate "halten" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → halte, du → hältst, er/sie/es → hält, wir → halten, ihr → haltet, sie/Sie → halten.
How many tenses does "halten" have in German?
"Halten" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
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