se tenir — French conjugation
to hold oneself
Indicative
Present (Présent) Irregular
Use the présent for habits, what is true now, and what is about to happen soon. A single set of endings covers what English often splits into “I speak” and “I am speaking”.
Elle parle arabe et français.
| Pronoun | French |
|---|---|
| je | me tiens |
| tu | te tiens |
| il/elle | se tient |
| nous | nous tenons |
| vous | vous tenez |
| ils/elles | se tiennent |
Simple past (Passé simple) Irregular
The passé simple narrates completed past events in a literary or very formal style. In everyday conversation people use the passé composé instead, so you mostly meet this form in books and journalism.
Ils virent le roi s'approcher.
| Pronoun | French |
|---|---|
| je | me tins |
| tu | te tins |
| il/elle | se tint |
| nous | nous tînmes |
| vous | vous tîntes |
| ils/elles | se tinrent |
Imperfect (Imparfait) Irregular
The imparfait describes ongoing or repeated past actions and sets the background — how things were, what used to happen, weather, feelings. The passé composé, by contrast, marks single completed events.
Quand j'étais petit, j'allais souvent à la piscine.
| Pronoun | French |
|---|---|
| je | me tenais |
| tu | te tenais |
| il/elle | se tenait |
| nous | nous tenions |
| vous | vous teniez |
| ils/elles | se tenaient |
Conditional (Conditionnel) Irregular
The conditionnel is for polite questions and requests, “would”-type hypotheticals, and what someone said would happen. It is also the usual consequent clause in si + imparfait → conditionnel patterns.
Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ?
| Pronoun | French |
|---|---|
| je | me tiendrais |
| tu | te tiendrais |
| il/elle | se tiendrait |
| nous | nous tiendrions |
| vous | vous tiendriez |
| ils/elles | se tiendraient |
Future (Futur) Irregular
The futur is for future plans and objective predictions. In speech, aller + infinitive is often clearer for the immediate future, while the simple future is common for facts further ahead or in writing.
Demain, nous dînerons chez eux.
| Pronoun | French |
|---|---|
| je | me tiendrai |
| tu | te tiendras |
| il/elle | se tiendra |
| nous | nous tiendrons |
| vous | vous tiendrez |
| ils/elles | se tiendront |
Subjunctive
Present subjunctive (Subjonctif présent) Irregular
The present subjunctive appears in subordinate clauses after desire, doubt, fear, need, and many impersonals, usually when the subject of the subordinate is different. Learn common triggers: il faut que, je veux que, je doute que…
Il faut qu'il parte avant midi.
| Pronoun | French |
|---|---|
| je | me tienne |
| tu | te tiennes |
| il/elle | se tienne |
| nous | nous tenions |
| vous | vous teniez |
| ils/elles | se tiennent |
Imperfect subjunctive (Subjonctif imparfait) Regular
The imparfait du subjonctif is a literary and formal past subjunctive. In modern speech, the present subjunctive usually replaces it for the same meaning.
Bien qu'il fût fatigué, il continua.
| Pronoun | French |
|---|---|
| je | me tinsse |
| tu | te tinsses |
| il/elle | se tînt |
| nous | nous tinssions |
| vous | vous tinssiez |
| ils/elles | se tinssent |