festzuhalten

Festzuhalten is the infinitive with zu of the verb festhalten. It is used to introduce a subordinate clause or to present a point that should be preserved, stated, or recorded, often in formal or academic contexts. The form also appears as a gerund-like noun in phrases such as das Festhalten or as the infinitive clause itself, for example Es ist festzuhalten, dass ….

In meaning, festzuhalten covers several related senses. It can refer to a physical action: to hold something firmly in one’s grasp. It can denote retention or preservation, as in keeping or maintaining something over time. It also appears in the sense of documenting or recording information, for instance in minutes or reports. In rhetorical or argumentative contexts, festzuhalten marks the act of persisting with a position, idea, or finding. Commonly, one can encounter statements such as Es ist festzuhalten, dass die Ergebnisse robust sind, or Man sollte festhalten, dass die Methode Limitationen hat.

The phrase is derived from fest (firm) and halten (to hold). The noun form das Festhalten denotes the act or process of holding or recording, for example das Festhalten an einer Meinung. The infinitive with zu, festzuhalten, is typical in formal writing and often appears in conjunction with dass-clauses or as a neutral clause marker. Related expressions include festhalten an, which means to cling to or persist with a belief or principle, and synonyms or near-synonyms such as bewahren, festschreiben, or verankern depending on the context.