Practice Makes Perfect

To keep

Keep in mind that the French equivalents of to keep that you might think of, such as garder, work 

only in the right context. Unfortunately, what seems to be the right context in English may often 

strike a French person as odd, if not incomprehensible. For example, even the simplest English 

phrase may pose a challenge:

Pierre kept his promise.

In English, it seems, a promise is like a keepsake, something to be treasured; one is faithful 

to a promise. However, this idea does not work in French:

XPierre a gardé sa promesse.

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Verb transfers and confusing verbs 

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The correct sentence is:

Pierre a tenu sa promesse.

Here are a few other examples:

May I keep the cork of this Mouton 

Puis-je garder le bouchon de ce Mouton Cadet 

Cadet 1947? 

  1947?

You must keep the cake in a cold place. 

Il faut conserver le gâteau au frais.

These peaches do not keep long. 

Ces pêches ne se conservent pas longtemps.

How long could you keep this Venetian 

Combien de temps pouvez-vous mettre de côté 

mirror for me? 

  ce miroir vénitien?

Where do you keep your medicine? 

Où ranges-tu tes médicaments?

After the accident, Joanne was kept in the 

Après l’accident, Joanne a dû passer deux jours 

hospital for two days. 

  à l’hôpital.

This chiropractor has the bad habit of 

Ce chiropracteur a la sale habitude de faire 

keeping his patients waiting. 

  attendre ses patients.

I tried to say something, but Leïla 

J’ai essayé de dire quelque chose, mais Leïla a 

kept talking. 

  continué à parler.

My secretary keeps forgetting to take 

Mon secrétaire oublie tout le temps de noter des 

down some important messages. 

  messages importants.

Her lawyer kept saying I was a bad driver. 

Son avocat ne cessait de dire que j’étais un    

 

  mauvais conducteur.

I was holding the ladder to keep Michel 

Je tenais l’échelle pour empêcher Michel de 

from falling. 

  tomber.

Keep quiet! 

Tais-toi!

Keep your stomach in! 

Rentre le ventre!

Keep out. 

Défense d’entrer.