retenir

to retain/hold back

French Irregular

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.

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

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

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How 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

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

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

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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