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il retenait

was holding back, was keeping

→ retenir
re again; back + ten to hold out + ait il/elle imperfect conjugation
verb · 3rd-person singular, imperfect tense Rare #45,680
was holding back, was keeping Use this meaning when someone or something prevents a person from leaving or moving freely.
FR: Le gardien retenait les enfants dans la cour.
EN: The guard was keeping the children in the yard.
Conjugation of retenir
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
Third retenait —

Je ne suis pas sûr de ce qui se passe, mais Tamayo-san retenait Muzan.

I'm not sure what's going on, but Tamayo-san was holding Muzan back.

— Demon Slayer : Kimetsu no Yaiba - Le film : La Forteresse infinie (2025)

La seule chose qui me retenait à Trincamp, c'était Marie.

The only thing keeping me in Trincamp was Marie.

— Hothead (1979)

Fritz me retenait.

Fritz was holding me back.

— Rome, ville ouverte (1945)

Dudou, pourquoi me retenait-il ?

Why was he holding me back, Dudou?

— White Snake (2019)

Quelque chose me retenait.

Something was holding me back.

— Bacurau (2019)