Meaning
to hold back, restrain
- to hold back, to restrain
- to detain
- to withhold, to deduct
- to hold (one's breath)
In a sentence
Ho trattenuto il cane prima che scappasse.
I held the dog back before it ran away.
La polizia lo ha trattenuto per due ore.
The police held him for two hours.
Cosa ti trattiene dal cambiare lavoro adesso?
What is stopping you from changing jobs now?
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| trattenere | infinitive |
| tratteniamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| trattengo | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| trattenete | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| trattieni | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| trattengono | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| trattiene | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| trattenevamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| trattenevo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| trattenevate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| trattenevi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| trattenevano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| tratteneva | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| trattenemmo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| trattenni | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| tratteneste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| trattenesti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| trattennero | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| trattenne | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| tratterremo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| tratterrò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| tratterrete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| tratterrai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| tratterranno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| tratterrà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| tratteniamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| trattenga | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| tratteniate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| trattenga | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| trattengano | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| trattenga | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| trattenessimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| trattenessi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| tratteneste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| trattenessi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| trattenessero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| trattenesse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| tratterremmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| tratterrei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| tratterreste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| tratterresti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| tratterrebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| tratterrebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| tratteniamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| trattenete | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| trattieni | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| trattenendo | gerund |
| trattenuto | past · participle |
Usage notes
- Often used reflexively: trattenersi = to stay longer or hold oneself back. Don't confuse it with simple trattenere.
- For emotions or bodily functions, Italian often prefers trattenere: trattenere le lacrime, il respiro, una risata.
- To mean 'keep someone somewhere,' use trattenere more formal than tenere; common in police, security, or official contexts.
- present: trattengo, trattieni, trattiene, tratteniamo, trattenete, trattengono