French Word of the Day
retenir
/ruh-tuh-NEER/ • verb — 7th of Aug, 2026
Listen to pronunciation
Meaning: to keep, hold back, or remember
Examples
- Je dois retenir cette information pour l'examen.
(I have to remember this information for the exam.) - Le barrage peut retenir beaucoup d'eau.
(The dam can hold back a lot of water.) - Elle a retenu ses larmes.
(She held back her tears.)
Synonyms
Click a synonym to see how it compares to retenir.
Conjugation
| Person | Présent | Passé composé |
|---|---|---|
| je | je retiens | j'ai retenu |
| tu | tu retiens | tu as retenu |
| il/elle/on | il retient | il a retenu |
| nous | nous retenons | nous avons retenu |
| vous | vous retenez | vous avez retenu |
| ils/elles | ils retiennent | ils ont retenu |
Antonyms
- libérer
- oublier
In everyday French, retenir is very common and flexible. It can mean to remember something, to hold something back physically or emotionally, or to keep someone from leaving.
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