Before you start
Meet festhalten
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 7 meanings
- (transitive) to hold on (to) (to keep another object or person in place)
- (reflexive) to hold on (to) [with an (+ dative) ‘to something’] (to keep oneself in place by gripping a fixture)
- (transitive, often passive voice) to detain, to hold in custody (by force)
- (intransitive) to stick (to), to remain steadfast (in) [with an (+ dative) ‘to/in a commitment, plan, ideology, system’]
- to keep supporting, to keep (someone) on the team
- (transitive) to record, to capture (an event, e.g. through photo, video, or a chronicle)
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.
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
Verb family
More verbs built on halten
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.