tenere present tense conjugation
Tenere (to hold/keep) in the present tense: tengo, tieni, tiene, teniamo, tenete, tengono.
Presente Present
| io | regular: teno |
|---|---|
| tu | regular: teni |
| lui/lei | regular: tene |
| noi | |
| voi | |
| loro | regular: tenono |
ending regular · irr breaks the pattern · tap a form to hear it
When to use the present tense
The presente covers “I do” and “I am doing”, habits and, very often, the near future.
How it is formed
Regular endings: -are → o, i, a, iamo, ate, ano; -ere → o, i, e, iamo, ete, ono; -ire → o, i, e, iamo, ite, ono (many -ire verbs insert -isc-: finisco).
Tenere is irregular here. 4 of 6 forms break the pattern (dark tiles above); the regular pattern would give teno, teni, tene, tenono.
Tenere in a sentence
- Tengo il bambino in braccio.I hold the baby in my arms.
- Ho tenuto la porta aperta.I kept the door open.
Irregular like 'venire' (tengo, tieni); stem change in present.
FAQ
What is the present tense of tenere?
Tenere in the Italian present tense: io tengo, tu tieni, lui/lei tiene, noi teniamo, voi tenete, loro tengono.
Is tenere irregular in the present tense?
Yes. 4 of 6 forms break the regular pattern: io tengo (regular would be teno); tu tieni (regular would be teni); lui/lei tiene (regular would be tene); loro tengono (regular would be tenono).
When do you use the Italian present tense?
The presente covers “I do” and “I am doing”, habits and, very often, the near future.
How is the present tense formed?
Regular endings: -are → o, i, a, iamo, ate, ano; -ere → o, i, e, iamo, ete, ono; -ire → o, i, e, iamo, ite, ono (many -ire verbs insert -isc-: finisco).
Full tenere conjugation, all tenses →
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