Before you start
Meet festhalten
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
fest- + halten
- fest-
- firmly, securely
- halten
- to hold
Hold something firmly so it stays in place or cannot get away.
So festhalten means to hold on to, hold firmly, or detain.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Verb family
More verbs built on halten
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
Separable verb: fest·halten
In a main clause the prefix fest splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseWir halten den Platz fest.We save the spot.
Subordinate clauseIch bleibe, weil ich das Seil festhalte.I stay because I am holding the rope.
Participle: festgehaltenzu-infinitive: festzuhalten
Forms
How festhalten changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | halte fest | hielt fest |
| du | hältst fest | hieltest fest |
| er/sie/es | hält fest | hielt fest |
| wir | halten fest | hielten fest |
| ihr | haltet fest | hieltet fest |
| Sie | halten fest | hielten fest |
Partizip II festgehalten · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich halte das Glas fest.I hold the glass tightly.prefix goes to the end
- 2Er hat meine Hand festgehalten.He held my hand tightly.Perfekt with haben
- 3Sie sagt, dass ich mich festhalte.She says that I am holding on.verb at the end after dass
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
festhalten + der Rucksack
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Use der Rucksack as the thing you hold on to.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I held it tightlyfest during the tripdie Reise.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When the busder Bus stoppedanhalten, I held on to the raildie Stange.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She held on to her plander Plan because she still believedglauben in it.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The mander Mann whom the policedie Polizei detainedfesthalten lives next doornebenan.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
You must hold on to the ticketdie Fahrkarte until we arriveankommen.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
He triedversuchen to hold on to the ropedas Seil.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Why did they detain him at the stationder Bahnhof?
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 9 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
festhalten + der Plan + obwohl
Your challenge
- 1Start with an obwohl-clause.
- 2Use festhalten with der Plan.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
What idea or plan do you hold on to when things are difficult?
Your challenge
- 1Answer in one sentence using festhalten.
- 2Say what idea or plan you hold on to.