The most common way to say “to stand” in French is se tenir debout. But what if you want to say you can't stand someone, or that a monument stands in the middle of a square? French, like English, uses this versatile verb in many different contexts. As you dive deeper into French, you'll want to express these nuanced ideas with precision. Let's explore nine different ways to say “to stand” in French and elevate your vocabulary!

The standard 'to stand' or 'to be standing' – se tenir debout

The most direct and common way to express the physical state of 'standing' or 'being on one's feet' in French is using the pronominal verb phrase se tenir debout.

This phrase literally translates to 'to hold oneself upright'. It combines the reflexive verb se tenir ('to hold oneself') with the adverb debout ('upright'), which together describe the posture of being on one's feet.

As a pronominal verb, se tenir requires a reflexive pronoun that agrees with the subject: me, te, se, nous, vous, se. The verb tenir is irregular, so you'll need to learn its forms. For example, in the present tense: Je me tiens debout (I am standing), Il se tient debout (He is standing).

In tenses like the passé composé, se tenir debout must use être as its auxiliary verb. Remember that the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject. For instance: Elle s'est **tenue** debout toute la journée (She stood all day).

It's crucial not to confuse se tenir debout (the state of being standing) with se lever (the action of getting up or standing up). Use se lever for the movement from sitting to standing, and se tenir debout to describe the resulting state.

💡 * Le garde doit se tenir debout pendant des heures.

Après sa longue maladie, il pouvait à peine se tenir debout.

Tenez-vous debout et le dos droit !

Elle s'est tenue debout pour applaudir l'artiste.

The other common way 'to be standing' – être debout

Besides reflexive verbs, another common and very direct way to express 'to be standing' in French is with the phrase être debout.

Literally translating to 'to be upright' or 'to be on one's feet', être debout describes the static physical state of a person or object that is not sitting or lying down. It focuses purely on the position.

You'll use this phrase when you want to describe the state of being upright, often in contrast to another state. For example, if someone asks if you are still in bed, you might reply, 'Non, je suis debout depuis une heure' (No, I've been up/standing for an hour).

A crucial point for learners is that debout functions as an adverb here. This means it is invariable—it never changes to agree with the subject's gender or number. It’s always debout, whether you're talking about elle or elles.

While être debout describes the state, the verb se lever describes the action of getting up. So, you would say 'Je me lève' (I am getting up) for the action, and 'Je suis debout' (I am standing/up) for the resulting state.

In summary, when you need to simply state that someone is on their feet and not sitting, lying down, or in bed, être debout is the most natural and frequently used expression.

💡 * Je suis fatigué d'être debout toute la journée.

Regarde, le bébé est debout tout seul !

Les spectateurs étaient tous debout pour applaudir l'artiste.

Il est déjà sept heures, pourquoi n'es-tu pas encore debout ?

The 'to stand' meaning 'to tolerate' or 'to bear' – supporter

In French, the verb supporter is a classic faux ami (false friend) for English speakers. While it looks like 'to support,' its primary meaning is 'to tolerate,' 'to put up with,' or 'to bear' something, often something unpleasant.

Crucially, supporter does not mean 'to support' in the sense of encouraging a team, a person, or a cause. For that meaning, you should use verbs like soutenir (to support emotionally, financially) or encourager (to encourage).

You will most often hear supporter used in negative contexts to express an inability or difficulty in tolerating something. It's frequently used with things like noise, difficult people, or physical discomfort.

The good news is that supporter is a regular -er verb. It follows the same simple conjugation pattern as common verbs like parler (to speak). For example: je supporte, tu supportes, il/elle supporte.

Remember this simple rule: when you see or hear supporter, think 'tolerate' or 'endure.' If you want to express encouragement or backing, use soutenir.

💡 * Je ne supporte pas le bruit quand j'essaie de travailler. (I can't stand the noise when I'm trying to work.)

Comment peux-tu supporter son attitude ? (How can you put up with his attitude?)

Il supporte mal la critique. (He doesn't bear criticism well.)

Elle a supporté la douleur sans se plaindre. (She bore the pain without complaining.)

The 'to stand' as in 'to put up with' – tolérer

The 'to stand' as in 'to put up with' – tolérer

The French verb tolérer is the most direct equivalent of 'to tolerate' or 'to put up with'. It describes the act of enduring something unpleasant or disagreeable without actively opposing it.

Use tolérer to express patience or forbearance in a negative situation. It focuses on the mental act of accepting something you don't like, such as noise, behavior, or an opinion. It's a regular -er verb, making its conjugation straightforward for learners.

While supporter can also mean 'to bear' or 'to stand', it often implies a heavier physical or emotional burden. Tolérer is more commonly used for annoyances or differences in opinion. For instance, you tolère a colleague's political views, but you supporte a great sorrow.

💡 * Je ne peux pas tolérer ce genre d'attitude. (I can't stand that kind of attitude.)

Les habitants du quartier tolèrent mal le bruit des bars la nuit. (The neighborhood residents have a hard time putting up with the noise from the bars at night.)

Il faut apprendre à tolérer les opinions des autres. (One must learn to tolerate the opinions of others.)

L'entreprise ne tolère aucun retard. (The company does not tolerate any lateness.)

The 'to stand up' or 'to stand tall' – se dresser

The reflexive verb se dresser translates to 'to stand up,' 'to rise,' or 'to stand tall.' It conveys a more powerful and active sense of rising than simply being in a standing position.

Literally, se dresser describes the physical act of a person or animal moving into an upright or erect posture. It often implies a sudden or assertive movement, like a cat arching its back or a person standing up to their full height to command attention.

Figuratively, se dresser contre means 'to rise up against' or 'to oppose.' This usage is common in contexts of protest, rebellion, or defiance, where a group or individual stands against an authority or an idea.

The verb is frequently used to describe imposing structures or natural features that dominate a landscape. A skyscraper, a mountain, or a monument can se dresser against the skyline, emphasizing its height and prominence.

The key nuance of se dresser is its sense of prominence and active rising. Unlike the static state of être debout (to be standing), se dresser implies movement, assertion, or a commanding presence.

💡 * Le chien se dresse sur ses pattes arrière pour avoir une friandise. (The dog stands up on its hind legs for a treat.)

Une immense tour se dresse au centre de la ville. (A huge tower stands in the center of the city.)

Le peuple s'est dressé contre l'injustice. (The people rose up against the injustice.)

Quand le directeur est entré, il s'est dressé de toute sa hauteur. (When the director entered, he stood up to his full height.)

The 'to stand against' or 'to withstand' – résister à

To express the concepts of 'to stand against,' 'to withstand,' or 'to resist' something in French, the primary verb you'll use is résister à.

Unlike its English counterpart, the French verb résister is not used with a direct object. It must be followed by the preposition à. Forgetting this is a common mistake for English speakers. So, you don't 'resist temptation,' you résiste **à** la tentation.

Résister à is versatile and can be used for both literal and figurative resistance. You can use it to talk about a material withstanding pressure (résister à la pression) or a person resisting an urge (résister à l'envie).

Good news for learners: résister is a regular -er verb. This means its conjugation follows the standard, predictable pattern for verbs ending in -er, such as parler or manger.

💡 * Je ne peux pas résister à son charme. (I can't resist his charm.)

Ce pont a été construit pour résister aux tremblements de terre. (This bridge was built to withstand earthquakes.)

Il a résisté à l'envie d'ouvrir le cadeau avant son anniversaire. (He resisted the urge to open the gift before his birthday.)

Les manifestants résistent aux forces de l'ordre. (The protesters are standing against the police forces.)

The 'to stand for' a principle or belief – défendre

The French verb défendre literally means "to defend" in a physical or legal sense, like defending a castle or a client. However, its meaning extends to abstract concepts, making it the perfect translation for "to stand for" when referring to principles, beliefs, or a cause.

When used to mean "to stand for," défendre is followed directly by the noun representing the idea or value. It implies an active, protective stance, often against real or potential opposition. For example, you can défendre une idée (stand for an idea), défendre ses convictions (stand for one's convictions), or défendre une cause (stand for a cause).

While soutenir means "to support," défendre carries a stronger connotation of advocacy and protection. You might soutenir a friend's decision, but you would défendre the principle of free speech, highlighting a more profound commitment to upholding it.

💡 * Il a toujours défendu ses convictions, même face à l'adversité. (He always stood for his convictions, even in the face of adversity.)

Cette association défend les droits des plus démunis. (This association stands for the rights of the most disadvantaged.)

En tant que citoyen, je défends la liberté d'expression. (As a citizen, I stand for freedom of speech.)

The 'to stand' for office or election – se présenter

When someone decides to run for a political office or any elected position, the French verb to use is se présenter. It directly translates to 'to present oneself' but is the standard term for 'to run' or 'to stand' in an election.

Se présenter is a pronominal verb. This means you must always include the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) that agrees with the subject. For instance, 'I run' becomes 'Je me présente'.

Typically, you use the preposition à (or its contractions au, aux) after the verb to specify the election. For example, se présenter **aux** élections présidentielles (to run in the presidential elections).

While se présenter can also mean 'to introduce oneself' in a general sense, the context of an election (élections), a position (un poste), or candidacy (candidat/candidate) makes the meaning of 'running for office' clear.

💡 * Il a annoncé qu'il allait se présenter aux élections législatives. (He announced that he was going to run in the legislative elections.)

Elle se présente pour le poste de maire. (She is running for the position of mayor.)

Combien de candidats se présentent cette année ? (How many candidates are running this year?)

Je me présente comme délégué de classe. (I am running for class representative.)

1. The 'to stand' as in 'to remain' or 'to stand still' – rester

When you want to express the idea of 'staying', 'remaining', or 'being left', the primary verb in French is rester. While English speakers might use 'to stand' in phrases like 'stand still', French uses rester to convey this sense of not moving or continuing in a certain state or place. It's a fundamental verb for describing location, condition, and what is leftover.

Fortunately, rester is a regular -er verb, which makes its conjugation predictable in most tenses. In the present tense, for example, it follows the standard pattern: je reste, tu restes, il/elle reste, nous restons, vous restez, ils/elles restent. It uses the auxiliary verb être in compound tenses like the passé composé (e.g., je suis resté(e)).

It is crucial to distinguish rester from the act of 'standing up'. Rester does not mean 'to stand up' from a seated position; for that, you must use the reflexive verb se lever. Rester is exclusively about immobility or continuation, such as staying home (rester à la maison), staying calm (rester calme), or indicating that something is left (il reste du gâteau).

💡 * Je vais rester à la maison ce soir. (I am going to stay home tonight.)

Restez calme, tout va bien se passer. (Stay calm, everything will be alright.)

Il ne reste plus de lait dans le frigo. (There is no milk left in the fridge.)

Elle est restée silencieuse pendant tout le film. (She remained silent during the whole movie.)

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

Our list covers the most common and versatile ways to say ‘to stand’ in French. But like any rich language, French has other verbs and expressions, including more formal, idiomatic, or context-specific ones that you'll discover over time.

You can also do an online search for specific contexts, like 'how to say stand for something in French' or 'how to say can't stand in French' to find more nuanced phrases for your exact needs.

You might find many interesting synonyms for se tenir debout. As always with verbs, pay close attention to the context and whether a verb requires a preposition or a direct object before you start using it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to native French speakers. You'll start to notice how different verbs for 'stand' are used naturally, from describing a physical position to expressing a strong opinion.

And if you’re looking for more idiomatic expressions involving the concept of standing, the WordReference entries for verbs like tenir, supporter, or rester are fantastic places to start!

I hope this guide helps you stand your ground in any French conversation. To end, here’s a fitting thought from La Rochefoucauld: Il faut tenir à une résolution parce qu'elle est bonne, et non parce qu'on l'a prise. (One must stand by a resolution because it is good, and not because one has made it.)

'9 ways to say "to stand" in French'