hielden

Hielden is the past tense plural form of the Dutch verb houden, meaning to hold, keep, or maintain. The verb houden is a common irregular verb in Dutch and serves as the basis for many expressions of possession, retention, and adherence. In the present tense, the forms are ik houd, jij houdt, hij houdt, wij houden, jullie houden, zij houden. The past tense singular is hield, and the past tense plural is hielden. The past participle is gehouden, which appears in perfect tenses such as heeft gehouden or hebben gehouden.

Etymology and cognates: Houden is related to German halten and English hold, reflecting a shared Germanic heritage. The form hielden specifically marks the past tense plural and is used when the subject performs the action in the past.

Usage: Hielden is used to describe actions carried out by multiple subjects in the past. Examples include: “Zij hielden de deur dicht” (they kept the door closed), “Wij hielden ons aan het contract” (we adhered to the contract), and “Zij hielden zich aan de regels” (they adhered to the rules). Beyond physical holding, het kan also describe adherence, perseverance, or retention in past contexts.

Regional and stylistic notes: In standard Dutch, spelling and pronunciation follow the regular conjugation patterns of houden. The form hielden is common in written and spoken language, though dialects may exhibit subtle variations in pronunciation.

See also: Dutch verb conjugation, houden, German halten, English hold.