The English verb 'to keep' is a real multitasker. You can keep a secret, keep a pet, keep your promises, or just keep on going. It's incredibly versatile!

However, when you're speaking French, you can't rely on a single, one-size-fits-all verb. Different situations call for different words, and using the right one is key to sounding like a native speaker.

Ready to level up your vocabulary? Let’s explore nine essential ways to say 'to keep' in French, so you'll always know the perfect word to use!

1. The standard 'to keep' – Garder

The most common and versatile French verb for 'to keep' is garder. It's your go-to choice in most everyday situations where you mean to hold onto something, preserve it, or not get rid of it.

The primary meaning of garder is to physically keep or retain an object. If you buy a souvenir, receive a gift, or simply decide not to throw something away, garder is the perfect verb. For example, Je vais garder cette robe means 'I'm going to keep this dress'.

Garder isn't just for physical objects. It's also frequently used for abstract ideas and states of being. You can garder un secret (keep a secret), garder le moral (keep your spirits up), or garder son calme (to keep one's cool). This flexibility makes it an essential verb to master.

A crucial secondary meaning of garder is 'to look after' or 'to watch over,' especially someone or something that needs care. This is the standard verb for babysitting (garder les enfants) or pet-sitting (garder le chien). A person who does this is a garde d'enfants (babysitter/nanny).

While other verbs like conserver (to preserve, often for food or historical items) and maintenir (to maintain a state or position) can sometimes translate to 'keep,' garder is the most frequent choice for general, everyday use. Think of garder as the default option unless a more specific context is required.

💡 * Tu peux garder le stylo, j'en ai un autre. (You can keep the pen, I have another one.)

• Ce soir, je garde les enfants de ma sœur. (Tonight, I'm looking after my sister's children.)
• Il faut garder le secret pour le moment. (We must keep it a secret for now.)
• Malgré les difficultés, elle a gardé le sourire. (Despite the difficulties, she kept smiling.)
• Garde la monnaie. (Keep the change.)

The 'to preserve' or 'keep in good condition' – Conserver

The French verb for 'to preserve' or 'to keep in good condition' is conserver.

At its heart, conserver means to maintain something in its existing state, protecting it from decay, damage, or alteration over time. It implies an active effort to maintain quality and integrity.

One of the most common applications of conserver is with food. It describes methods like canning, freezing, or pickling. For instance, you would say conserver des confitures (to preserve jams) or conserver des aliments au frais (to keep food fresh/cool).

The verb extends beyond physical objects to abstract ideas. You can conserver l'espoir (keep hope), conserver un bon souvenir (preserve a good memory), or conserver son calme (to keep one's cool).

Conserver is also crucial when discussing heritage, documents, or valuable items. A museum's primary role is to conserver des œuvres d'art (preserve works of art) for future generations.

While garder also means 'to keep,' conserver emphasizes protection and maintenance. You might garder un secret (keep a secret), but you would conserver un bâtiment historique (preserve a historic building), which requires upkeep and care.

💡 * Pour conserver ces fruits, ma grand-mère en fait de la confiture.

• Malgré les difficultés, il a su conserver son optimisme.
• Ce document doit être conservé dans un endroit sec et à l'abri de la lumière.
• Le musée national a pour mission de conserver le patrimoine du pays.

The 'to maintain' or 'keep up' – Maintenir

The verb maintenir is a versatile and common French verb that directly translates to 'to maintain,' 'to keep up,' or 'to sustain.' Its root comes from main (hand) and tenir (to hold), literally meaning 'to hold in hand,' which gives a great visual clue to its meaning of keeping something steady or in a certain state.

Maintenir is used when talking about the action of preserving something in its existing condition or state. This can apply to physical objects, abstract concepts, or relationships. The key idea is continuity and preventing decline or change.

As a verb ending in -tenir, maintenir is an irregular verb. It follows the same conjugation pattern as tenir (to hold) and venir (to come). For example, in the present tense, it conjugates as: je maintiens, tu maintiens, il/elle maintient, nous maintenons, vous maintenez, ils/elles maintiennent.

In a physical context, you use maintenir to talk about upkeep. For example, you can maintain a building in good condition (maintenir un bâtiment en bon état) or maintain public order (maintenir l'ordre public).

More abstractly, maintenir is used for things like relationships, effort, or a certain level. You can maintenir une amitié (maintain a friendship), maintenir le contact (keep in touch), or maintenir un rythme (keep up a pace).

Maintenir can also take on the meaning of 'to assert,' 'to affirm,' or 'to hold' a position or belief, especially in a discussion or argument. In this sense, it implies a firm declaration that one sticks to, such as maintenir son innocence (to maintain one's innocence).

💡 * Il est difficile de maintenir une maison aussi grande.

• Nous devons maintenir nos efforts si nous voulons réussir.
• Le suspect maintient qu'il est innocent.
• Elle maintient le contact avec ses amis d'enfance.

The 'to keep' in the sense of 'put away' – Ranger

While 'to keep' in English has many meanings, the French verb ranger specifically covers the action of 'putting something away,' 'tidying up,' or 'organizing.' It implies restoring order to a space.

The core idea behind ranger is returning an item to its designated or proper place. Think of tidying your room (ranger ta chambre), shelving books (ranger les livres), or putting away groceries. It is an action verb focused on organization.

This is a crucial point for English speakers. Do not confuse ranger (to put away) with garder (to keep, to hold onto). You would say Je vais garder ce souvenir (I'm going to keep this souvenir), but Je vais ranger mes vêtements (I'm going to put my clothes away).

Good news for learners! Ranger is a regular -er verb, which means it follows a predictable and common conjugation pattern. For example, in the present tense: je range, tu ranges, il/elle range, nous rangeons, vous rangez, ils/elles rangent.

💡 * Il est temps de ranger ta chambre. (It's time to tidy up your room.)

• Peux-tu ranger tes jouets, s'il te plaît ? (Can you put your toys away, please?)
• J'ai rangé les courses dans le réfrigérateur. (I put the groceries away in the fridge.)
• Elle range ses livres par ordre alphabétique. (She arranges/shelves her books in alphabetical order.)

The 'to keep' a promise or a record – Tenir

Tenir is a highly versatile French verb. While its primary meaning is "to hold," it metaphorically extends to mean "to keep" in the context of upholding promises, maintaining records, or managing responsibilities.

The most fundamental translation of tenir is "to hold" something physically. For instance, tenir la main means "to hold the hand." This physical sense of maintaining a grip is the foundation for its more abstract meanings.

When paired with abstract concepts like promises or one's word, tenir directly translates to "to keep." The common phrase tenir sa promesse is the exact equivalent of "to keep one's promise," signifying the act of upholding a commitment.

The verb is also essential for contexts involving information management. You can tenir un journal (keep a diary), tenir un registre (keep a register), or tenir les comptes (keep the books/accounts).

Remember that tenir is an irregular verb, following a similar conjugation pattern to venir (to come). It's crucial to learn its forms, such as its use of avoir in the passé composé (e.g., j'ai tenu).

In essence, think of tenir as moving from the physical act of "holding on" to something to the abstract responsibility of "upholding" or "maintaining" commitments and information.

💡 * Il est important de tenir ses promesses. (It is important to keep one's promises.)

• La secrétaire doit tenir le registre des visiteurs. (The secretary must keep the visitors' log.)
• Peux-tu tenir mon sac un instant ? (Can you hold my bag for a moment?)
• Mon grand-père tenait un journal de sa vie quotidienne. (My grandfather kept a diary of his daily life.)

The 'to retain' or 'hold on to' (information, memory) – Retenir

The French verb retenir is the most direct equivalent for 'to retain,' 'to hold back,' or 'to remember' specifically in the sense of keeping information in your mind. Its literal root is in 'holding back' (tenir - to hold), which extends to the mental act of holding onto knowledge.

When discussing the ability to memorize a fact, a phone number, a name, or a lesson, retenir is the ideal verb. It emphasizes the process and capacity for holding information. For example, you would say J'ai du mal à retenir les noms (I have a hard time retaining names).

It's important to note that retenir is an irregular verb. It follows the same conjugation pattern as tenir (to hold). In the present tense, it conjugates as: je retiens, tu retiens, il/elle retient, nous retenons, vous retenez, ils/elles retiennent.

While se souvenir de means 'to remember' or 'to recall' a past event or person, retenir is about the active mental storage of data. You use retenir for facts you need to keep accessible, whereas se souvenir is for memories you bring back to mind.

💡 * J'ai du mal à retenir les dates en histoire.

• Retiens bien cette leçon, elle est très importante.
• Il a une excellente mémoire, il retient tout ce qu'il lit.
• Peux-tu retenir ce numéro de téléphone pour moi ?

The 'to save' or 'back up' (especially digital files) – Sauvegarder

The verb sauvegarder is the primary term used in French for 'to save' or 'to back up' digital data. If you're working on a document, saving a game, or backing up your phone, this is the verb you need. Think of it as 'safeguarding' your files.

Beyond the digital world, sauvegarder can also mean 'to safeguard,' 'to preserve,' or 'to protect' in a more general and often formal sense. It's used for things of great value, such as cultural heritage, a reputation, or national interests.

Sauvegarder is a regular -er verb, making it straightforward to conjugate. It follows the same pattern as common verbs like parler or manger. For example, in the present tense: je sauvegarde, tu sauvegardes, il/elle sauvegarde.

💡 * N'oublie pas de sauvegarder ton document avant de quitter. (Don't forget to save your document before you quit.)

• Je sauvegarde mes photos importantes sur le cloud chaque semaine. (I back up my important photos to the cloud every week.)
• Le musée a pour mission de sauvegarder le patrimoine artistique de la région. (The museum's mission is to safeguard the region's artistic heritage.)
• Il est crucial de faire une sauvegarde de votre système régulièrement. (It is crucial to make a backup of your system regularly.)

The 'to keep' animals – Élever

When you talk about keeping animals in the sense of raising or breeding them, the correct French verb is élever. It implies a long-term commitment of nurturing an animal from a young age to maturity, often for a specific purpose like farming or breeding.

It's important not to confuse élever with garder. While garder can mean 'to keep' or 'to look after,' it usually implies a more temporary situation, like pet-sitting. Élever is used for the entire process of bringing up an animal.

This verb is most commonly used for farm animals and livestock. For example, you would say élever des vaches (to raise cows), élever des poules (to raise chickens), or élever des moutons (to raise sheep). It is the standard term in agriculture.

To help you remember, élever is the same verb used for raising children (élever un enfant). This connection highlights the meaning of nurturing and bringing something up over time, whether it's a child or an animal.

💡 * Mes grands-parents élèvent des poules et des chèvres à la campagne.

• Il a commencé à élever des abeilles pour produire son propre miel.
• C'est beaucoup de travail d'élever des chevaux.
• Elle est passionnée par l'idée d'élever des chiens de race.

1. The Verb for Storing: Stocker

The French verb stocker is the direct equivalent of the English verbs "to store," "to stock," or "to keep in stock." It is a regular -er verb, which makes its conjugation straightforward. It implies putting something away for future use, often in a designated storage area or as part of an inventory.

Stocker is a versatile verb used in various contexts. In a business context, it refers to keeping goods in a warehouse (stocker des marchandises). In a personal context, it can mean storing personal belongings (stocker des affaires). It's also commonly used in a digital context for storing data (stocker des fichiers or stocker des données).

It's important not to confuse stocker with ranger. While both can mean "to put away," ranger is more about tidying up and putting things in their immediate, correct place. Stocker, on the other hand, usually implies longer-term storage or maintaining a supply of something.

The verb stocker is directly related to the noun le stock (masculine), which means "stock," "inventory," or "supply." You will often hear phrases like en stock (in stock) or rupture de stock (out of stock) in commercial settings.

💡 * L'entreprise doit stocker les produits dans un grand entrepôt. (The company has to store the products in a large warehouse.)

• Je vais stocker mes pneus d'hiver dans le garage. (I am going to store my winter tires in the garage.)
• Ce disque dur peut stocker jusqu'à deux téraoctets de données. (This hard drive can store up to two terabytes of data.)
• Nous avons assez de nourriture stockée pour tenir une semaine. (We have enough food stored to last a week.)

Are there other ways to say 'to keep' in French?

Are there other ways to say 'to keep' in French?

Our list features the most common and versatile verbs for 'to keep' in French, like garder, conserver, and maintenir. However, French is a language rich with specific expressions, and you'll find many other nuanced ways to express this idea depending on the exact context.

To expand your vocabulary, try searching online for “synonymes de garder” or “comment dire 'keep a promise' en français”. Replacing the object with your specific need will yield more precise results.

You will likely find many interesting options with these searches. Before using a new verb, always check its definition and look for example sentences to ensure it fits the context you have in mind. Nuance is key!

Pay close attention when you're reading books, watching movies, or listening to music in French. You'll start to develop an intuitive feel for which 'keep' verb is appropriate for which situation, from keeping a secret (garder un secret) to keeping your cool (garder son sang-froid).

For a deeper dive into the specific uses of these verbs and to find even more related expressions, the entries for garder and conserver on a comprehensive dictionary site like WordReference or Larousse are fantastic starting points.

I hope this article helps you feel more confident in expressing the idea of 'keeping' things in French. To finish, here's a classic French proverb that uses one of our key verbs: Il vaut mieux prévenir que guérir. (It is better to prevent than to heal.) While it doesn't use 'keep', its wisdom about preservation is a perfect closing thought!