French Conversation · Level 106
60 words
French word
entretenir
Pronunciation
IPA/ɑ̃tʁətəniʁ/
Meaning
- verbmaintain
Example
Il faut entretenir la maison régulièrement.
The house must be maintained regularly.
More examples
On doit entretenir une conversation pour mieux connaître quelqu'un.
One must maintain a conversation to get to know someone better.
Core concept
A steady hand keeps a house, a bond, a person's needs, or a conversation in lasting working order.
Common phrases
entretenir la maison
maintain the house
entretenir une conversation
maintain a conversation
entretenir de bonnes relations
maintain good relations
Similar words
parler: To speak.
maintenir: To keep a state or position unchanged.
garder: To keep something and avoid losing it.
Definition in French
Prendre soin ou assurer le maintien d'un objet, d'une situation ou d'une relation; peut aussi signifier pourvoir aux besoins de quelqu'un ou poursuivre une conversation.
Word origin
Entretenir comes from Old French entretenir, formed from entre- and tenir, from Latin tenere, 'to hold'; its senses developed around keeping something in a lasting condition.
Usage tips
- With a person, entretenir quelqu'un can mean supporting or providing for that person, while entretenir une conversation means keeping it going rather than merely speaking.
Other meanings
- supportverb
- converseverb
Opposites
- négligerneglectverb
- abandonnerabandonverb
Related words
- entretienmaintenancenoun
- entretenuwell-maintainedadjective
- entretenablemaintainableadjective