/mɛ̃t.niʁ/
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to maintain, to keep, to hold
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Word origin
From the Latin phrase manu tenere ('to hold in the hand'), from manus ('hand') and tenere ('to hold'). English 'maintain' was borrowed straight from the French.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- manu tenere
- English cognates
- maintain, manual
Grammar
Conjugation
Regular french-irregular conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.
Indicative
| Person | Present | Imperfect | Past historic | Future | Conditional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | maintiens | maintenais | maintins | maintiendrai | maintiendrais |
| tu | maintiens | maintenais | maintins | maintiendras | maintiendrais |
| il/elle | maintient | maintenait | maintint | maintiendra | maintiendrait |
| nous | maintenons | maintenions | maintînmes | maintiendrons | maintiendrions |
| vous | maintenez | mainteniez | maintîntes | maintiendrez | maintiendriez |
| ils/elles | maintiennent | maintenaient | maintinrent | maintiendront | maintiendraient |
Subjunctive
| Person | Present | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| je | maintienne | maintinsse |
| tu | maintiennes | maintinsses |
| il/elle | maintienne | maintînt |
| nous | maintenions | maintinssions |
| vous | mainteniez | maintinssiez |
| ils/elles | maintiennent | maintinssent |
Imperative
| Person | Affirmative |
|---|---|
| tu | maintiens |
| nous | maintenons |
| vous | maintenez |
Non-finite
- Gerund / present participle
- maintenant
- Past participle
- maintenu · maintenue · maintenus · maintenues
Examples
.
He kept insisting that it was not his fault.
.
We must keep the door shut.
.
Keep the pressure on for five minutes.
.
Prices were holding at a good level.
.
We are holding our prices until the end of the month.
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French · Free printables
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Free printable study downloads for the French word "maintenir" (to maintain, to keep, to hold): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free week (no card)This word is taught in chapter 24, lesson 1: maintenir, génération, fabriquer and 7 more words.