The Italian verb "trattenere" means "to hold back" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "trattenere" across all 5 tenses. New to Italian verbs? Start with the Italian verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "trattenere" in the Present Tense
Presente indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | trattengo |
| tu | you (informal) | trattieni |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | trattiene |
| noi | we | tratteniamo |
| voi | you all | trattenete |
| loro | they | trattengono |
Lui trattiene il cane al guinzaglio.
He holds the dog on the leash.
How to Conjugate "trattenere" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passato prossimo Actions that finished in the recent past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | ho trattenuto |
| tu | you (informal) | hai trattenuto |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | ha trattenuto |
| noi | we | abbiamo trattenuto |
| voi | you all | avete trattenuto |
| loro | they | hanno trattenuto |
Lei ha trattenuto il cliente.
She kept the client.
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Imperfetto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | trattenevo |
| tu | you (informal) | trattenevi |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | tratteneva |
| noi | we | trattenevamo |
| voi | you all | trattenevate |
| loro | they | trattenevano |
Lui tratteneva sempre i suoi pensieri.
He used to always hold back his thoughts.
How to Conjugate "trattenere" in the Future Tense
Futuro semplice Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | tratterrò |
| tu | you (informal) | tratterrai |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | tratterrà |
| noi | we | tratterremo |
| voi | you all | tratterrete |
| loro | they | tratterranno |
Lei tratterrà una parte del salario.
She will withhold part of the salary.
How to Conjugate "trattenere" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condizionale presente Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | tratterrei |
| tu | you (informal) | tratterresti |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | tratterrebbe |
| noi | we | tratterremmo |
| voi | you all | tratterreste |
| loro | they | tratterrebbero |
Lei tratterrebbe il mio passaporto.
She would hold back my passport.
Frequently Asked Questions About "trattenere"
Is "trattenere" regular or irregular in Italian?
"Trattenere" is an irregular Italian verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "trattenere" mean in English?
The Italian verb "trattenere" means "to hold back" in English.
How do you conjugate "trattenere" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente indicativo): io → trattengo, tu → trattieni, lui/lei → trattiene, noi → tratteniamo, voi → trattenete, loro → trattengono.
How many tenses does "trattenere" have in Italian?
"Trattenere" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Italian: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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