entretenir
maintain, keep up
verb ahn-truh-tuh-NEER Less Common
Origin: French entre- + tenir (to hold between)
Also means
converse, chat
Usage Note
Entretenir covers physical maintenance (entretenir une maison — 'to maintain a house') and sustaining a relationship or conversation (entretenir une relation). The reflexive s'entretenir avec quelqu'un means 'to have a conversation with someone'. The noun is entretien (maintenance, interview, conversation).
Examples
"Il faut entretenir le jardin régulièrement."
Natural Translation
The garden must be maintained regularly.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
FrenchNow
7 min read