tenere

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Italian

Etymology 1

From Latin tenēre, from Proto-Italic *tenēō, stative from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch, draw”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /teˈne.re/
  • Rhymes: -ere
  • Hyphenation: te‧né‧re

Verb

tenére (first-person singular present tèngo, first-person singular past historic ténni or tènni, past participle tenùto, first-person singular future terrò, auxiliary avére)

  1. (transitive) to hold
    tieniti il libro in mano ― hold the book in your hands
    tenetelo a meno che lui scappasse dall’istituto
    hold him so that he doesn't escape the institute
    1. to set aside; to conserve
    2. to hold (one's spot in line, etc.)
    3. to reserve
  2. (transitive) to keep
    mi sono tenuto la borsa sul grembo ― I kept the bag on my lap
    tenere gli occhi aperti ― to keep one's eyes open
    tenere i soldi sotto il materasso ― to keep the money under the mattress
    tenerlo recluso ― to keep him confined
    tenere la parola ― to keep one's word
  3. (transitive, intransitive) to hold up; to sustain
    quel pilastro tiene l'intero edificio
    that pillar holds up the entire building
    il scaffale tiene al peso dei libri
    the shelf holds up against the weight of the books
    il paese tiene nonostante il virus
    the country is holding up despite the virus
  4. (transitive) continue to wear; to not remove (a garment); to keep on (a garment)
    ora ancora piove, quindi tieni la giacca
    it's still raining, so keep the jacket on
  5. (transitive) to take
    tieni la penna ― take the pen
    tieni la sinistra ― take the left
  6. (transitive, sometimes southern Italy) to have; to possess
    tenere un animale domestico ― to have a pet
    puoi tenere i soldi che le avevo prestato
    you can have the money that I had lent her
    tengo una bella casa (southern Italy) ― I have a nice house
    Synonym: avere
  7. (transitive) to treat (in a certain way)
    l'ho sempre tenuta come una bambina ― I always treated her as a little girl
  8. (transitive) to have employed
    tiene dieci camerieri ― he has ten waiters employed
  9. (transitive) to manage
    tenere una trattoria ― to manage a bistro
  10. (transitive) to carry out (of a speech, lesson, etc.)
  11. (transitive) to have over or keep (at a place)
    tenerla a cena ― to have her over for dinner
    mi ha tenuto a lavorare ― he had me over at work
  12. (transitive) to hold back (an impulse, feeling, etc.)
    tenere il pianto ― to hold back one's tears (literally, “one's crying”)
  13. (transitive) to look over or take care of
  14. (transitive) to assume or take up (a behavior, attitude, etc.)
  15. (transitive) to take up (to occupy space)
  16. (transitive, informal) to contain
  17. (transitive, military) to defend (a position, etc.) from enemy attack
    abbiamo tenuto lo sbocco della valle
    we defended the mouth of the valley
  18. (transitive, journalism) to continue coverage of uninteresting or unpressing news, in hopes of future developments
  19. (transitive, literary) to consider or deem; to hold to be
    come egli molto l'amava e molto bella la teneva
    how much he loved her and held her to be very beautiful
  20. (transitive, archaic) to refrain from spending; to be stingy
    (transitive, archaic or literary) to achieve
  21. (intransitive) to stick or attach well (of a glue, etc.)
  22. (intransitive) to be airtight
  23. (intransitive) to seem colorable; to hold water
  24. (intransitive) to last
    un amore che ha tenuto nonostante le criticità ― a love that lasted despite some trying moments
  25. (intransitive) to support someone's views, positions, etc.
    se tieni per me, votami
    if you support me, vote for me
  26. (intransitive) to root
  27. (intransitive) to like or love (in a non romantic way)
  28. (intransitive, economics) to remain stable (of a currency, stock market, etc.)
  29. (intransitive, rare) to look like
Usage notes
  • The use of tenere in the sense of avere (“to have”) is typically nonstandard and often associated with the Neapolitan dialect and region.
Conjugation
    Conjugation of tenére (-ere; irregular) (See Appendix:Italian verbs)
infinitive tenére
auxiliary verb avére gerund tenèndo
present participle tenènte past participle tenùto
person singular plural
first second third first second third
indicative io tu lui/lei, esso/essa noi voi loro, essi/esse
present tèngo tièni, tiéni tiène, tiéne teniàmo tenéte tèngono
imperfect tenévo tenévi tenéva tenevàmo tenevàte tenévano
past historic ténni, tènni tenésti ténne, tènne tenémmo tenéste ténnero, tènnero
future terrò terrài terrà terrémo terréte terrànno
conditional io tu lui/lei, esso/essa noi voi loro, essi/esse
present terrèi terrésti terrèbbe, terrébbe terrémmo terréste terrèbbero, terrébbero
subjunctive che io che tu che lui/che lei, che esso/che essa che noi che voi che loro, che essi/che esse
present tènga tènga tènga teniàmo teniàte tèngano
imperfect tenéssi tenéssi tenésse tenéssimo tenéste tenéssero
imperative — tu Lei noi voi Loro
tièni, tiéni tènga teniàmo tenéte tèngano
negative imperative non tenére non tènga non teniàmo non tenéte non tèngano

Including lesser-used forms:

    Conjugation of tenére (-ere; irregular) (See Appendix:Italian verbs)
infinitive tenére
auxiliary verb avére gerund tenèndo
present participle tenènte past participle tenùto
person singular plural
first second third first second third
indicative io tu lui/lei, esso/essa noi voi loro, essi/esse
present tèngo, tègno1 tièni tiène teniàmo, tegnàmo1 tenéte tèngono, tègnono1
imperfect tenévo tenévi tenéva tenevàmo tenevàte tenévano
past historic ténni, tenéi1, tenétti1, tenètti1,2 tenésti ténne, tené1, tenétte1, tenètte1,2 tenémmo tenéste ténnero, tenérono1, tenéttero1, tenèttero1,2
future terrò terrài terrà terrémo terréte terrànno
conditional io tu lui/lei, esso/essa noi voi loro, essi/esse
present terrèi terrésti terrèbbe, terrébbe terrémmo terréste terrèbbero, terrébbero
subjunctive che io che tu che lui/che lei, che esso/che essa che noi che voi che loro, che essi/che esse
present tènga, tègna1 tènga, tègna1 tènga, tègna1 teniàmo, tegnàmo1 teniàte, tegnàte1 tèngano, tègnano1
imperfect tenéssi tenéssi tenésse tenéssimo tenéste tenéssero
imperative — tu Lei noi voi Loro
tièni tènga, tègna1 teniàmo, tegnàmo1 tenéte tèngano, tègnano1
negative imperative non tenére non tènga, non tègna1 non teniàmo, non tegnàmo1 non tenéte non tèngano, non tègnano1

1Archaic.
2Traditional.

Related terms

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈtɛ.ne.re/
  • Rhymes: -ɛnere
  • Hyphenation: tè‧ne‧re

Adjective

tenere f pl

  1. feminine plural of tenero

Anagrams

Latin

Etymology 1

Adverb form of tener.

Adverb

tenerē (comparative tenerius, superlative tenerissimē)

  1. tenderly, lovingly
Synonyms

Etymology 2

Verb

tenēre

  1. inflection of teneō:
    1. present active infinitive
    2. second-person singular present passive imperative

References

  • “tenere”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • “tenere”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • tenere in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
  • Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
    • (ambiguous) to hold something in one's hand: manu or in manu tenere aliquid
    • (ambiguous) to hold fast in the teeth (also metaphorically, obstinately): mordicus tenere aliquid
    • (ambiguous) to be scarcely able to restrain one's laughter: risum tenere vix posse
    • (ambiguous) to be hardly able to restrain one's tears: lacrimas tenere non posse
    • (ambiguous) to abide by one's resolution: propositum, consilium tenere (opp. a proposito deterreri)
    • (ambiguous) to remember a thing perfectly: memoriā tenere aliquid
    • (ambiguous) to remember a thing perfectly: memoriam alicuius rei tenere
    • (ambiguous) to have a vivid recollection of a thing: recenti memoria tenere aliquid
    • (ambiguous) to insist on a point: tenere aliquid; stare in aliqua re
    • (ambiguous) to be well versed in Roman history: memoriam rerum gestarum (rerum Romanarum) tenere
    • (ambiguous) to be considered the foremost orator: eloquentiae principatum tenere
    • (ambiguous) to rivet the attention of..: animos tenere
    • (ambiguous) to observe moderation, be moderate: modum tenere, retinere, servare, adhibere
    • (ambiguous) to observe the golden mean: mediocritatem tenere (Off. 1. 25. 89)
    • (ambiguous) to remain true to one's principles: institutum tenere
    • (ambiguous) to never appear in public: domi se tenere
    • (ambiguous) to be a strict disciplinarian in one's household: severum imperium in suis exercere, tenere (De Sen. 11. 37)
    • (ambiguous) to keep up a usage: consuetudinem suam tenere, retinere, servare
    • (ambiguous) to hold the reins of government: clavum rei publicae tenere
    • (ambiguous) to occupy the leading position: principatum tenere, obtinere
    • (ambiguous) to have power over some one: imperium tenere (in aliquem)
    • (ambiguous) to keep the citizens in servile subjection: civitatem servitute oppressam tenere (Dom. 51. 131)
    • (ambiguous) to maintain one's right: ius suum tenere, obtinere
    • (ambiguous) to be commander-in-chief: imperii summam tenere (Rep. 2. 28)
    • (ambiguous) to hold a mountain: tenere montem (B. G. 1. 22)
    • (ambiguous) to remain inactive in camp: se (quietum) tenere castris
    • (ambiguous) to keep a town in a state of siege: oppidum in obsidione tenere
    • (ambiguous) to hold on one's course: cursum tenere (opp. commutare and deferri)
    • (ambiguous) to steer: clavum tenere
    • (ambiguous) to keep the coast and harbours in a state of blockade: litora ac portus custodia clausos tenere

Neapolitan

Alternative forms

Etymology

Inherited from Latin tenēre.

Pronunciation

Verb

tenere

  1. to hold
  2. to have, possess
    Synonym: avé

References

Tarantino

Etymology

From Latin teneo, tenere.

Verb

tenere

  1. (transitive) to hold
  2. (transitive) to possess

Conjugation

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

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