festhält

Festhalten is a German verb meaning to hold firmly, to retain, or to persist. The present-tense third-person singular form is hält fest, written as two separate words in standard spelling. The construction combines the verb halten (to hold) with the prefix fest- (firm), so its sense commonly revolves around firmness, retention, or persistence. The noun form related to the idea of a firm grip or retention is implied by contexts rather than by a distinct noun.

Usage and grammar

Festhalten is a separable verb. In the present tense, the finite form is two words: er hält fest, ihr haltet fest. The past participle is festgehalten, used with auxiliary haben to form the perfect: ich habe festgehalten. The base verb is often used with the preposition an to create the idiom an etwas festhalten, meaning to insist on or persevere with something: Sie hält an ihrem Plan fest. It can also describe physical grip: Er hält sich am Geländer fest. Die Dinge festhalten (to record or retain information) is another common sense: Die Forscher halten die Daten fest.

Semantic range

Festhalten covers physical gripping, memory retention, and the commitment to beliefs, plans, or statements. It can denote documenting events (the report holds the events in memory) as well as refusing to relinquish: Die Jury hält trotz Kritik an der Entscheidung fest.

See also

Festhalten (disambiguation), festgehalten, an festhalten.