il tient

he holds

→ il

phrase Common #6,885

he holds Can also mean “he keeps” or appear in set expressions like tenir de (“take after”) and tenir parole (“keep one’s word”).

FR: Il tient la porte ouverte.

EN: He holds the door open.

Il tient à toi.

He cares about you.

Il tient Patmol, là où c'est caché.

He's holding Padfoot where it's hidden.

— Harry Potter et l'Ordre du Phénix (2007)

Il tient pas plus d'un mois.

It doesn't last more than a month.

— La Haine (1995)

Il tient un journal intime.

He keeps a diary.

Et il tient debout.

And it stands upright.

— Fight Club (1999)

Richardson a encaissé un coup violent, mais il tient bon.

Richardson took a heavy blow, but he's holding on.

— Running Man (2025)

Il tient le professeur en grande estime.

He holds the professor in high esteem.

Je me demande de qui il tient.

I wonder who he gets it from.

— A Taxi Driver (2017)

Ainsi tu penses qu'un poète ne peut pas penser quand il tient un oignon, hein ?

So you think a poet can’t think while holding an onion, huh?

— Le Facteur (1994)

Du moment qu'il tient jusqu'à la vallée.

As long as it holds up until the valley.

— Nausicaä de la vallée du vent (1984)

Il tient de son père.

He takes after his father.

Il tient son journal intime.

He keeps a diary.

— Your Name. (2016)

Il tient ça de sa mère.

He gets that from his mother.

Il tient Patmol !

He's holding Padfoot!

— Harry Potter et l'Ordre du Phénix (2007)

Il tient pour principe de ne jamais parler des autres en mal.

He holds the principle of never speaking ill of others.

Il tient une librairie dans le centre-ville.

He runs a bookstore in the city center.

Ouais, de qui il tient ça ?

Yeah, who does he get that from?

— Caché (2005)

Et il tient à faire la traversée.

And he is determined to make the crossing.

— L’Enfance d’Ivan (1962)

Il tient le rang de colonel.

He holds the rank of colonel.

Il tient un garage de motos.

He runs a motorcycle repair shop.

— Article 15 (2019)

Il tient le coup.

He's holding up.

Comme il tient son poing ?

How is he holding his fist?

— Aguirre, la colère de Dieu (1972)

Il tient bien, ce poulet.

This chicken is holding up well.

— La Vie d'Adèle - Chapitres 1 et 2 (2013)

Il tient quand même à sa carrière.

He still cares about his career.

— Whiplash (2014)

J'ai de la chance, il tient de son père.

I'm lucky; he takes after his father.

— Nobody Knows (2004)

Il tient à la vie.

He clings to life.

— The Shadow's Edge (2025)

Il tient parole.

He keeps his word.

Il tient un journal en anglais.

He keeps a diary in English.

M. Interligator lui il tient à sa femme.

Mr. Interligator cares deeply about his wife.

— Delicatessen (1991)

Je sais qu'il tient sa parole.

I know he keeps his word.

Il tient le même discours.

He is saying the same thing.

— Il est de retour (2015)

Il tient chaud le manteau ?

Does the coat keep you warm?

— Kin-dza-dza! (1986)

Il tient quelque chose.

He's holding something.