Houdt

Houdt is the present tense third-person singular form of the Dutch verb houden, which means to hold, keep, or maintain. The verb houdt is used with hij, zij, of het as the subject form in the present tense and appears in a wide range of senses, from physical holding to maintaining a state or commitment.

In addition to its literal sense of grasping something, houden is used in many idiomatic and compound constructions. For example, houden van expresses love or liking, as in hij houdt van muziek (he loves music). Zich aan iets houden means to adhere to or keep to something, such as regels (the rules). Iets in stand houden means to keep something in a certain condition, and het hoofd koel houden means to stay calm under pressure.

Grammatical notes: the present tense forms are ik houd, jij houdt, hij/zij/het houdt, wij houden, jullie houden, zij houden. The past tense is hield (singular) or hielden (plural), and the past participle is gehouden. These forms reflect the verb’s Germanic roots, and houden is closely related to the English hold and the German halten.

Etymology and cognates: houden derives from Old Dutch and shares ancestry with other Germanic languages. It is cognate with English hold and German halten, reflecting a common origin for meanings related to grasping, maintaining, and preserving.

Common usages and the wide applicability of houdt reflect the core Dutch concept of maintaining or asserting something over time, whether physically, emotionally, or morally. As with many Dutch verbs, its meaning shifts with the attached prepositions and phrasal verbs, making context essential for precise interpretation.