tenerci

to care (about it), to be attached (to it); to really want (it)

→ tenere

verb Rare #26,972

to care (about it), to be attached (to it); to really want (it) With the clitic “ci”, “tenerci” means to care about something / to be attached to it ("I care about it").

IT: Tengo molto a questo progetto: voglio fargli del bene, perché ci tengo, cioè perché ci tengo davvero—per me è proprio "tenerci".

EN: I care a lot about this project: I want what’s best for it, because I care, I really do—for me that’s exactly what it means to care about it.

Conjugation of tenere

Indicative present

	Singular	Plural
First	tengo	teniamo
Second	tieni	tenete
Third	tiene	tengono

Imperative

	Singular	Plural
First	—	teniamo
Second	tieni	tenete
Third	tenga	—

tenere tenerlo tenerla tenermi tenerti tenersi tenerletenercitenerli tener tenute tenertelo

Subjunctive present

	Singular	Plural
First	tenga	teniamo
Second	tenga	—
Third	tenga	—

Past

tenuto tenuta tenuti

Indicative imperfect

	Singular	Plural
First	tenevo	—
Second	tenevi	—
Third	teneva	—

Indicative past

	Singular	Plural
Third	tenne	—

Indicative future

	Singular	Plural
First	terrò	terremo
Second	terrai	terrete
Third	terrà	—

Present

tenendo

Imperative present

	Singular	Plural
Second	—	tenetevi

Subjunctive imperfect

	Singular	Plural
First	tenessi	—
Second	tenessi	—
Third	tenesse	—

Non potete tenerci rinchiusi come animali.

You can't keep us locked up like animals.

— Titanic (1997)

A tenerci in gabbia, cazzo.

Keeping us in a fucking cage.

— Bugonia (2025)

Ero impegnata a tenerci in vita, sai?

I was busy keeping us alive, you know?

— Send Help (2026)

Ha promesso di tenerci con lei.

She promised to keep us with her.

— La tomba delle lucciole (1988)

Noi dovremmo tenerci pulite.

We should keep ourselves clean.

Avete già dimenticato cosa abbiamo dovuto fare per tenerci del riso?

Have you already forgotten what we had to do to keep some rice?

— I sette samurai (1954)

Va bene, allora vai a tenerci i posti.

All right, then go save our seats.

— I Swear (2025)

Tesoro, adesso puoi tenerci entrambi chiusi in cassaforte.

Darling, now you can keep both of us locked in the safe.

— Titanic (1997)

Spero che saremo in grado di tenerci in contatto.

I hope we can keep in touch.