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A2 verb #2,500 よく出る 12分で読める

contenir

At the A1 level, learners are introduced to the most basic and literal meaning of 'contenir': physical capacity. You will learn how to describe what is inside everyday objects. The focus is entirely on concrete, visible realities. For example, you will learn to say that a glass contains water (Le verre contient de l'eau), a bag contains books (Le sac contient des livres), or a box contains toys (La boîte contient des jouets). At this stage, the vocabulary surrounding 'contenir' is highly practical and related to food, shopping, and classroom objects. You will primarily use the present tense, focusing on the third-person singular (contient) and plural (contiennent), as you are usually describing inanimate objects. The grammar is simple: Subject + contient + Object. There is no need to worry about abstract concepts or emotional restraint at this level. The goal is simply to answer the question 'Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dedans ?' (What is inside?). You might also encounter it on food packaging, learning to recognize phrases like 'contient du lait' (contains milk) for basic allergy awareness. Mastering this simple, physical usage provides a necessary foundation for the more complex applications of the verb that will appear in later stages of learning.
At the A2 level, the usage of 'contenir' expands slightly beyond simple physical objects to include documents, places, and basic abstract concepts. You will still use it to describe physical capacity, but the subjects become more varied. For instance, you will learn to say that a letter contains good news (La lettre contient de bonnes nouvelles), a museum contains famous paintings (Le musée contient des tableaux célèbres), or a recipe contains sugar (La recette contient du sucre). The focus shifts to understanding that 'contenir' can mean 'to include' or 'to have as a part'. You will also begin to practice the conjugation more thoroughly, moving beyond just the third person to include 'je contiens' and 'nous contenons'. The passé composé is introduced, allowing you to talk about what something held in the past (La boîte a contenu des bijoux). You will start reading short texts, menus, and brochures where 'contenir' is used to provide information about ingredients, contents of a room, or details of a program. This level bridges the gap between pointing at a physical box and understanding the contents of a written text, making 'contenir' a crucial tool for basic reading comprehension and descriptive speaking.
At the B1 level, the complexity of 'contenir' increases significantly as you are introduced to its secondary meaning: to restrain, control, or hold back. This is a major leap from physical capacity to abstract action. You will learn to use 'contenir' in the context of emotions and physical forces. For example, you will express holding back tears (contenir ses larmes), controlling anger (contenir sa colère), or stopping a physical element (le barrage contient l'eau). The reflexive form, 'se contenir' (to restrain oneself), is also introduced here, which is vital for expressing self-control in social situations (Il a dû se contenir pour ne pas crier). Grammatically, you will be expected to use 'contenir' across all major tenses, including the imperfect (il contenait) and the future (il contiendra). You will encounter the verb in news reports about containing fires, crowds, or diseases. The passive voice also becomes relevant at this stage (L'eau est contenue par le barrage). At B1, 'contenir' transforms from a simple descriptive verb into an active, dynamic verb used to narrate struggles, emotional states, and efforts to maintain order or boundaries in both personal and public spheres.
At the B2 level, your mastery of 'contenir' must be nuanced and precise. You are expected to use it fluently in complex, abstract, and professional contexts. The verb is frequently used in discussions about politics, economics, and science. You will talk about containing inflation (contenir l'inflation), containing a diplomatic crisis (contenir une crise), or containing the spread of a virus (contenir la propagation). In academic or professional writing, you will use it to describe the scope of studies, reports, and legal documents (Ce rapport contient des données cruciales). You must be completely comfortable with the irregular conjugations, including the subjunctive mood (Il est important que ce document contienne toutes les preuves) and the conditional (Ce plan contiendrait les risques). You will also learn to distinguish 'contenir' from its close synonyms like 'renfermer', 'comporter', 'réprimer', and 'endiguer', choosing the exact right word for the specific context. The present participle 'contenant' is used frequently as an adjective or to link clauses in formal writing. At this level, 'contenir' is a tool for sophisticated argumentation, detailed reporting, and nuanced emotional description, reflecting a high degree of linguistic competence.
At the C1 level, 'contenir' is used with near-native fluency, often in highly idiomatic, literary, or specialized contexts. You will encounter and use it in complex sentence structures, often involving passive constructions, inversions, or subtle emotional nuances. The distinction between physical containment and abstract restraint becomes a playground for rhetorical devices. For example, a writer might use it metaphorically: 'Une phrase qui contient toute la misère du monde' (A sentence that contains all the misery of the world). You will use the reflexive 'se contenir' in sophisticated psychological descriptions. In professional and academic spheres, 'contenir' is used to discuss risk management, geopolitical strategies (la politique d'endiguement/containment), and complex system architectures. You are expected to flawlessly navigate the trickiest grammatical aspects, such as past participle agreement in complex relative clauses (Les émotions qu'il a contenues pendant des années). You will also easily substitute 'contenir' with high-level synonyms like 'receler' (to harbor/contain secretly) or 'juguler' (to choke off/contain a crisis) depending on the exact stylistic requirement. At C1, the verb is fully integrated into your advanced vocabulary arsenal.
At the C2 level, your understanding and application of 'contenir' are indistinguishable from a well-educated native speaker. You grasp its deepest etymological roots and its most subtle literary applications. You can play with the dual meaning of the word—holding something in versus keeping something out—in philosophical or poetic discourse. You might analyze classic French literature where 'contenir' is used to describe the stoicism of a tragic hero or the suppressed tension of a societal conflict. You effortlessly use nominalizations like 'la contenance' (capacity, but also poise/composure) and understand how they relate to the verb. In highly technical, legal, or scientific translations, you know exactly when 'contenir' is the legally binding or scientifically accurate term compared to 'inclure' or 'comprendre'. You can spontaneously produce flawless, complex sentences involving the pluperfect subjunctive or the past anterior if the literary context demands it. At this ultimate level of proficiency, 'contenir' is not just a vocabulary word to be translated; it is a conceptual tool used to articulate the finest boundaries of physical space, human emotion, and abstract thought with absolute precision and stylistic grace.
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contenir 30秒で

  • Means 'to contain' or 'to hold' physically.
  • Means 'to restrain' or 'to hold back' emotionally.
  • Conjugated irregularly like 'tenir' and 'venir'.
  • Used in passive voice to say 'is contained in'.
The French verb 'contenir' is a fundamental and highly versatile vocabulary word that primarily translates to 'to contain', 'to hold', or 'to enclose' in English. Understanding its full scope requires looking at both its physical and abstract applications. In its most literal sense, 'contenir' refers to the capacity of a physical object, space, or receptacle to hold something else within its boundaries. For example, a bottle contains water, a box contains documents, or a room contains people. This physical containment is the most common and earliest learned meaning of the word, typically introduced at the A2 CEFR level. However, the meaning extends far beyond mere physical boundaries. It is also used to describe the inclusion of elements within a non-physical entity, such as a book containing information, a law containing specific clauses, or a speech containing controversial remarks. Furthermore, 'contenir' has a crucial secondary meaning: 'to restrain', 'to hold back', or 'to keep under control'. This applies to emotions (containing one's anger or tears), physical forces (a dam containing water), crowds (police containing protesters), or even the spread of something undesirable (containing a virus or an economic crisis). This dual nature—holding something inside versus keeping something from breaking out—makes 'contenir' an incredibly rich verb.
Physical Capacity
Refers to the volume or ability of an object to hold a substance or other objects. This is the most direct translation of 'to contain'.

Cette grande bouteille peut contenir jusqu'à deux litres d'eau fraîche.

Abstract Inclusion
Used when a document, concept, or system includes certain information, rules, or components as part of its makeup.

Le rapport annuel doit contenir toutes les données financières de l'entreprise.

Emotional Restraint
The act of holding back one's feelings, preventing them from being visibly expressed or causing an outburst.

Il a eu beaucoup de mal à contenir sa colère face à cette injustice flagrante.

Les forces de l'ordre ont réussi à contenir la foule en colère.

Le gouvernement cherche à contenir l'inflation par de nouvelles mesures économiques.

To fully master 'contenir', learners must recognize that it belongs to the third group of French verbs, conjugated exactly like 'tenir' and 'venir'. This means it features stem changes in the present tense (je contiens, nous contenons, ils contiennent) and an irregular past participle (contenu). The noun form, 'le contenu' (the content), is equally important and frequently used in digital and academic contexts. Whether you are describing the ingredients of a recipe, the chapters of a novel, the suppression of a rebellion, or the management of a global pandemic, 'contenir' provides the precise linguistic tool required. Its etymology traces back to the Latin 'continere', meaning 'to hold together', which perfectly encapsulates its modern French usage: keeping elements bound within a specific limit, whether that limit is a glass jar, a legal document, or one's own patience.
Using 'contenir' correctly in French requires a solid understanding of its conjugation patterns, its syntactic structures, and its pronominal form. Because it is derived from 'tenir', it follows a highly irregular conjugation pattern that learners must memorize. In the present indicative, the singular forms take an 's' or 't' and feature a vowel shift to 'ie' (je contiens, tu contiens, il/elle/on contient). The first and second person plural revert to the base vowel 'e' (nous contenons, vous contenez), while the third person plural doubles the 'n' and brings back the 'ie' (ils/elles contiennent). The passé composé is formed with the auxiliary verb 'avoir' and the past participle 'contenu' (J'ai contenu, tu as contenu). The imperfect tense uses the 'nous' stem (je contenais, nous contenions), and the future and conditional tenses use the irregular stem 'contiendr-' (je contiendrai, je contiendrais).
Direct Transitive Usage
In its most common form, 'contenir' is a direct transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object without any preposition. Subject + contenir + Direct Object.

Ce coffre-fort semble contenir des bijoux de grande valeur.

Pronominal Form: Se Contenir
When used reflexively as 'se contenir', the meaning shifts exclusively to emotional restraint. It means 'to restrain oneself', 'to control oneself', or 'to hold oneself back'.

Face à ses insultes, j'ai dû me contenir pour ne pas le frapper.

Passive Voice
The passive voice is frequently used, especially in scientific, academic, or formal writing, to emphasize the contents rather than the container: 'être contenu dans' (to be contained in).

La substance toxique est contenue dans un flacon scellé.

Les informations contenues dans ce dossier sont confidentielles.

Il est difficile de contenir l'enthousiasme des enfants avant Noël.

When using 'contenir' in the negative, the standard 'ne... pas' surrounds the conjugated verb (La boîte ne contient pas de sucre). Note that the indefinite or partitive article following the negative verb becomes 'de' or 'd''. In formal literature or journalism, you will often see the present participle 'contenant' used as an adjective or to introduce a clause (Une boîte contenant des lettres). The subjunctive form is also common in expressions of doubt or necessity (Il faut que ce texte contienne au moins mille mots). Mastering these various structures—direct object, reflexive, passive, and participial—will elevate your French from basic communication to sophisticated expression, allowing you to articulate complex ideas about capacity, inclusion, and restraint with precision and elegance.
The verb 'contenir' is ubiquitous in the French-speaking world, appearing across a wide spectrum of contexts, from mundane daily tasks to high-level geopolitical discourse. Because it bridges the gap between physical reality and abstract concepts, you will encounter it in almost every type of media and conversation. In everyday life, one of the most common places you will see 'contenir' is on packaging and labels. Food products, cosmetics, and medications are legally required to list their ingredients, and this is often introduced by phrases like 'Ce produit contient...' (This product contains...). If you have allergies, scanning labels for 'Peut contenir des traces de noix' (May contain traces of nuts) is a crucial survival skill.
Food and Product Labeling
Used to indicate ingredients, allergens, or the volume/weight of a product.

Attention, ce gâteau peut contenir des arachides et du gluten.

News and Journalism
Frequently used in reports about crises, protests, military actions, or economic policies where control and restraint are necessary.

Les pompiers luttent pour contenir l'incendie de forêt avant la nuit.

Academic and Professional Settings
Used to describe the contents of documents, reports, databases, and presentations.

Le contrat doit contenir les signatures des deux parties pour être valide.

La base de données contient plus de dix mille entrées clients.

Le médecin lui a prescrit un sirop contenant de la codéine.

Beyond these practical applications, 'contenir' is a staple of literary and emotional expression. In novels, characters are constantly trying to 'contenir leurs larmes' (hold back their tears) or 'contenir leur joie' (contain their joy). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the phrase 'contenir le virus' (contain the virus) became a daily mantra in press briefings and public health announcements. In sports commentary, a team might try to 'contenir l'attaque adverse' (contain the opposing attack). In technology, a folder 'contient' files, and a hard drive 'contient' data. The noun form, 'le contenu', is the direct translation of the English word 'content' in the digital sense (créateur de contenu = content creator). By paying attention to these diverse environments—from the grocery store aisle to the evening news, from a dramatic novel to a software interface—you will quickly realize that 'contenir' is an indispensable part of the French lexicon, serving as the linguistic glue that defines boundaries, capacity, and control.
While 'contenir' is a relatively straightforward verb in terms of its core meaning, French learners frequently stumble over its conjugation, its nuances compared to similar verbs, and its prepositional usage. The most glaring and common mistake involves its conjugation. Because it ends in '-ir', many beginners mistakenly treat it as a regular second-group verb (like 'finir') and attempt to conjugate it as 'je contiens, nous contenissons'—this is entirely incorrect. 'Contenir' belongs to the irregular third group and follows the exact pattern of 'tenir'. Remembering that 'je tiens' becomes 'je contiens' and 'ils tiennent' becomes 'ils contiennent' is essential. Another frequent conjugation error occurs in the future and conditional tenses, where learners might try to use 'contenirai' instead of the correct irregular stem 'contiendrai'.
Conjugation Errors
Treating 'contenir' as a regular -ir verb or forgetting the irregular future stem.

Incorrect: Nous contenissons l'eau. Correct: Nous contenons l'eau.

Confusing Contenir and Comprendre
While both can mean 'to include', 'contenir' implies physical or literal holding, while 'comprendre' implies comprising or consisting of parts.

Le prix comprend (not contient) le petit-déjeuner. La boîte contient des biscuits.

Adding Unnecessary Prepositions
English speakers sometimes try to add 'de' or 'à' after 'contenir', translating 'contains of' or 'holds to', which is grammatically incorrect in French.

Incorrect: Le sac contient de des livres. Correct: Le sac contient des livres.

Il faut se contenir (not se retenir) dans cette situation formelle.

Le texte contient (not retient) plusieurs erreurs d'orthographe.

Another subtle but common mistake is confusing 'contenir' with 'retenir'. While both can translate to 'hold back' in certain English contexts, 'retenir' is used for holding back a person from leaving, retaining information (memorizing), or holding one's breath (retenir sa respiration). 'Contenir' is used for holding back an emotion, a crowd, or a physical force like water. For example, you 'retiens' a friend who is about to leave the party, but you 'contiens' your laughter during a serious meeting. Furthermore, learners sometimes struggle with the passive construction. When saying 'The water is contained in the bottle', the correct French is 'L'eau est contenue dans la bouteille'. Notice that 'contenue' must agree in gender and number with the subject 'L'eau' (feminine singular). Forgetting this past participle agreement in the passive voice or with preceding direct objects in the passé composé is a hallmark of intermediate-level errors. By isolating these specific pitfalls—irregular conjugation, verb confusion, prepositional errors, and agreement rules—you can significantly improve your accuracy and sound much more natural when discussing capacity and restraint in French.
The French language offers a rich tapestry of synonyms and related verbs for 'contenir', each carrying its own specific nuance, register, and context. Choosing the right synonym can elevate your French from basic to highly proficient. When dealing with physical capacity or the inclusion of elements, 'renfermer' is a beautiful, slightly more literary synonym. It literally means 'to close back in' and is often used for things that hold secrets, treasures, or hidden qualities (Ce château renferme de nombreux mystères). 'Comporter' is another excellent alternative, particularly in abstract or structural contexts. It translates closer to 'to entail', 'to comprise', or 'to involve' (Ce projet comporte des risques). If you are talking about a list, a group, or a package deal, 'comprendre' (to include/comprise) or 'inclure' (to include) are the go-to verbs. For example, a hotel room price 'comprend' breakfast, it doesn't 'contient' it.
Renfermer
A slightly more formal or literary synonym for 'contenir', often implying that the contents are hidden, precious, or mysterious.

Cette vieille malle renferme les souvenirs de mon enfance.

Comporter
Best used when describing the parts that make up a whole, similar to 'comprise' or 'consist of'.

Le nouvel appartement comporte trois chambres et un grand salon.

Réprimer / Maîtriser
These are the synonyms for the secondary meaning of 'contenir': to hold back or restrain (emotions, crowds, forces).

Il a dû réprimer un sourire en entendant cette blague.

La police a réussi à maîtriser les manifestants les plus violents.

Le dossier inclut toutes les pièces justificatives demandées.

When the context shifts to restraint and control, the synonyms change entirely. To 'contain' an emotion can be expressed with 'réprimer' (to repress/suppress), 'refouler' (to push back/bottle up), or 'cacher' (to hide). To 'contain' a physical threat, like a fire or a riot, you might use 'maîtriser' (to bring under control), 'endiguer' (to stem/dam up, often used for floods or crises), or 'limiter' (to limit). Understanding these distinctions prevents awkward phrasing. You wouldn't say a box 'maîtrise' apples, nor would you say the police 'renferment' a riot. The antonyms of 'contenir' are equally context-dependent. For physical containers, the opposite action is 'vider' (to empty) or 'répandre' (to spill/spread). For emotional restraint, the opposites are 'exprimer' (to express), 'relâcher' (to release), or 'exploser' (to explode/burst out). By mapping out this web of synonyms and antonyms, learners can navigate the French language with much greater precision, selecting the exact word that fits the physical, abstract, or emotional reality they wish to describe.

How Formal Is It?

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知っておくべき文法

レベル別の例文

1

Le verre contient de l'eau.

The glass contains water.

Present tense, 3rd person singular. Direct object 'de l'eau'.

2

La boîte contient des jouets.

The box contains toys.

Use of indefinite article 'des' for plural objects.

3

Le sac contient des pommes.

The bag contains apples.

Basic Subject + Verb + Object structure.

4

Cette bouteille contient du lait.

This bottle contains milk.

Partitive article 'du' used for uncountable nouns.

5

Le bol contient de la soupe.

The bowl contains soup.

Partitive article 'de la' for feminine uncountable nouns.

6

Les boîtes contiennent des chaussures.

The boxes contain shoes.

Present tense, 3rd person plural ending in '-ent'.

7

Mon sac à dos contient mes livres.

My backpack contains my books.

Possessive adjective 'mes' used with the object.

8

Le frigo contient beaucoup de nourriture.

The fridge contains a lot of food.

Adverb of quantity 'beaucoup de' followed by a noun.

1

Ce livre contient de belles histoires.

This book contains beautiful stories.

Adjective 'belles' placed before the noun 'histoires'.

2

Le musée contient des tableaux célèbres.

The museum contains famous paintings.

Abstract physical containment (a building holding items).

3

La lettre contient une bonne nouvelle.

The letter contains good news.

Containment of abstract information.

4

Ce gâteau contient du chocolat et du sucre.

This cake contains chocolate and sugar.

Listing ingredients using partitive articles.

5

Le portefeuille de Paul contient son argent.

Paul's wallet contains his money.

Possession indicated by 'de'.

6

La valise contient tous mes vêtements.

The suitcase contains all my clothes.

Use of 'tous' (all) to indicate complete capacity.

7

Le menu contient trois desserts différents.

The menu contains three different desserts.

Numbers used to specify the contents.

8

Le parc contient un grand lac.

The park contains a large lake.

Describing geographical or spatial inclusion.

1

Il a du mal à contenir sa colère.

He has trouble containing his anger.

Abstract meaning: to restrain an emotion. Follows 'à' + infinitive.

2

La police essaie de contenir la foule.

The police are trying to contain the crowd.

Meaning: to hold back a physical force or group.

3

Elle a dû se contenir pour ne pas pleurer.

She had to restrain herself so as not to cry.

Pronominal form 'se contenir' meaning self-restraint.

4

Le barrage contient l'eau de la rivière.

The dam contains the river's water.

Physical restraint of a natural force.

5

Ce document contenait des informations secrètes.

This document contained secret information.

Imperfect tense 'contenait' for a past state.

6

Nous devons contenir nos dépenses ce mois-ci.

We must contain our expenses this month.

Metaphorical use: to limit or restrict.

7

Le médecin a prescrit un médicament contenant du fer.

The doctor prescribed a medicine containing iron.

Present participle 'contenant' used as an adjective.

8

J'espère que la boîte contiendra ce que j'ai commandé.

I hope the box will contain what I ordered.

Future tense 'contiendra' with irregular stem.

1

Le gouvernement a pris des mesures pour contenir l'inflation.

The government took measures to contain inflation.

Advanced abstract usage in an economic context.

2

Les pompiers ont finalement réussi à contenir l'incendie.

The firefighters finally managed to contain the fire.

Common journalistic phrasing for controlling a disaster.

3

Il est essentiel que ce rapport contienne toutes les données.

It is essential that this report contain all the data.

Subjunctive mood 'contienne' triggered by 'Il est essentiel que'.

4

La substance toxique est contenue dans un récipient étanche.

The toxic substance is contained in a watertight receptacle.

Passive voice 'est contenue' with feminine agreement.

5

Malgré les provocations, il a su se contenir.

Despite the provocations, he knew how to restrain himself.

Reflexive infinitive used after the conjugated verb 'savoir'.

6

Ce projet contiendrait trop de risques pour notre entreprise.

This project would contain too many risks for our company.

Conditional tense 'contiendrait' expressing a hypothetical situation.

7

L'accord de paix contient plusieurs clauses controversées.

The peace agreement contains several controversial clauses.

Legal/political context of inclusion.

8

Ils ont établi un périmètre pour contenir la propagation du virus.

They established a perimeter to contain the spread of the virus.

Medical/scientific context of limiting spread.

1

La difficulté réside dans la capacité à contenir les revendications salariales.

The difficulty lies in the ability to contain wage demands.

Highly abstract economic/social context.

2

C'est une œuvre magistrale qui contient en germe toute la philosophie de l'auteur.

It is a masterful work that contains the seeds of the author's entire philosophy.

Literary metaphor 'contenir en germe' (to contain the seeds of).

3

Les émotions qu'elle avait contenues pendant des années ont soudainement explosé.

The emotions she had contained for years suddenly exploded.

Past participle agreement 'contenues' with preceding direct object 'émotions'.

4

La politique d'endiguement visait à contenir l'expansion de l'empire.

The policy of containment aimed to contain the expansion of the empire.

Historical/geopolitical terminology.

5

Il s'est contenu à grand-peine, les mâchoires serrées.

He restrained himself with great difficulty, his jaws clenched.

Reflexive passé composé with descriptive absolute phrase.

6

Le traité, bien que vaste, ne contient aucune disposition contraignante.

The treaty, although vast, contains no binding provision.

Negative construction 'ne... aucune' with formal vocabulary.

7

Pour peu que le discours contienne des inexactitudes, la presse s'en emparera.

If the speech contains even the slightest inaccuracies, the press will seize upon it.

Subjunctive triggered by the conjunction 'Pour peu que'.

8

La cuve, contenant des déchets radioactifs, a été scellée hermétiquement.

The vat, containing radioactive waste, was hermetically sealed.

Present participle clause providing descriptive background.

1

L'univers entier semble contenu dans cette simple équation.

The entire universe seems contained within this simple equation.

Philosophical/scientific abstraction using the past participle as an adjective.

2

Il eut été préférable que la crise fût contenue dès ses prémices.

It would have been preferable had the crisis been contained from its very beginnings.

Use of the past conditional and the imperfect subjunctive in a passive voice.

3

La contenance de ce récipient est dérisoire face au volume à transvaser.

The capacity of this receptacle is laughable compared to the volume to be decanted.

Use of the derived noun 'contenance' in a highly formal register.

4

Toute la tragédie racinienne est contenue dans cette implacable fatalité.

All of Racinian tragedy is contained within this relentless inevitability.

Literary analysis context.

5

À peine eut-il contenu son ire qu'une nouvelle provocation surgit.

Scarcely had he contained his ire when a new provocation arose.

Past anterior 'eut contenu' following 'À peine'.

6

Ce silence lourd de sens contenait plus de reproches qu'un long discours.

This meaningful silence contained more reproaches than a long speech.

Poetic attribution of capacity to an abstract concept (silence).

7

La stratégie militaire consistait à laisser l'ennemi s'avancer pour mieux le contenir ensuite.

The military strategy consisted of letting the enemy advance in order to better contain them later.

Infinitive used as the object of a preposition in a tactical context.

8

Quoi qu'il en soit, il importe que ces débordements soient promptement contenus.

Be that as it may, it is important that these excesses be promptly contained.

Passive subjunctive 'soient contenus' in a formal, authoritative tone.

よく使う組み合わせ

contenir sa colère
contenir ses larmes
contenir l'inflation
contenir la propagation
contenir une foule
boîte contenant
produit qui contient
difficile à contenir
se contenir à grand-peine
contenir les dépenses

よく使うフレーズ

peut contenir des traces de

se contenir pour ne pas

contenir en germe

avoir du mal à se contenir

contenir le flot de

contenir l'hémorragie

contenir l'avancée

contenir la menace

contenir son souffle

contenir son enthousiasme

よく混同される語

contenir vs comprendre (to include/comprise - used for abstract parts of a whole, not physical containment)

contenir vs retenir (to hold back/retain - used for keeping a person from leaving or remembering information)

contenir vs maintenir (to maintain - used for keeping something in a certain state or position)

慣用句と表現

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間違えやすい

contenir vs

contenir vs

contenir vs

contenir vs

contenir vs

文型パターン

使い方

formal vs informal

It is standard in all registers, but the passive voice (être contenu) and abstract usages (contenir une crise) lean formal.

regional variations

Universally understood across the Francophone world with no major regional variations in meaning.

literal vs figurative

Literal: A box holding items. Figurative: A person holding back anger, or a policy holding back economic disaster.

よくある間違い
  • Conjugating it as a regular -ir verb (e.g., saying 'nous contenissons' instead of 'nous contenons').
  • Using 'contenir' instead of 'comprendre' when talking about what is included in a price or a package deal.
  • Forgetting the irregular future stem and saying 'je contenirai' instead of 'je contiendrai'.
  • Adding the preposition 'de' after the verb when it's not needed (e.g., 'contenir de les livres').
  • Confusing 'contenir' (to hold back an emotion) with 'retenir' (to hold back a person or remember information).

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Conjugation Family

Group 'contenir' with 'tenir', 'venir', 'maintenir', and 'retenir' in your mind. They all share the exact same irregular conjugation patterns in every tense.

Physical vs Abstract

Remember the dual nature of the word. It's not just about boxes and bottles; it's also about holding back tears, crowds, and inflation.

Pronunciation Shortcut

In casual speech, drop the middle 'e'. Instead of 'con-te-nir', say 'cont-nir'. This will make you sound much more like a native speaker.

Supermarket Practice

Next time you buy a French product, look at the ingredients list. You are guaranteed to find the word 'contient' or 'contenant'.

Avoid Repetition

If you are writing an essay and use 'contenir' too much, switch to 'renfermer' for physical objects or 'réprimer' for emotions.

No Prepositions

Never put 'à' or 'de' directly after 'contenir' unless it's part of an article (like 'du' or 'des'). It takes a direct object.

Se Contenir

Use 'se contenir' when you want to express the English idea of 'biting your tongue' or 'keeping your cool' in a frustrating situation.

News Vocabulary

When listening to the news, 'contenir' almost always means 'to limit the spread of' (a virus, a fire, a protest), not 'to hold inside'.

Passive Agreement

In the passive voice, remember to make 'contenu' agree with the subject. 'La colère est contenue' (feminine), 'Les risques sont contenus' (plural).

Content Creator

If you want to talk about digital content, use the noun form: 'le contenu'. A content creator is 'un créateur de contenu'.

暗記しよう

記憶術

Think of a CONtainer that you must TENIR (hold) to keep the contents inside.

語源

Latin

文化的な背景

The legal requirement to list allergens makes 'contenir' one of the most frequently read verbs by French consumers on a daily basis.

Journalists frequently use 'contenir' when discussing police actions during protests (contenir les manifestants), reflecting the ongoing tension between public demonstration and state order in France.

Telling someone to 'se contenir' can be seen as a reprimand, implying they are acting inappropriately or childishly in public.

実生活で練習する

実際の使用場面

会話のきっかけ

"Sais-tu ce que contient cette boîte mystérieuse ?"

"As-tu déjà eu du mal à contenir un fou rire dans un moment sérieux ?"

"Que penses-tu des mesures du gouvernement pour contenir l'inflation ?"

"Est-ce que ce plat contient des arachides ? Je suis allergique."

"Comment fais-tu pour te contenir quand quelqu'un t'énerve vraiment ?"

日記のテーマ

Racontez une fois où vous avez dû vous contenir pour ne pas pleurer ou crier.

Faites la liste de ce que contient votre sac à dos aujourd'hui et expliquez pourquoi.

Selon vous, est-il toujours bon de contenir ses émotions, ou faut-il les exprimer ?

Décrivez une situation de crise (réelle ou fictive) et comment les autorités ont tenté de la contenir.

Imaginez une boîte magique. Que contiendrait-elle ?

よくある質問

10 問

It conjugates like 'tenir'. Je contiens, tu contiens, il/elle contient, nous contenons, vous contenez, ils/elles contiennent.

'Contenir' is usually for physical containment (a box contains shoes). 'Comprendre' is for inclusion or comprising parts of a whole (the price includes breakfast).

No, 'contenir' is a direct transitive verb. You say 'La boîte contient des livres', not 'La boîte contient de des livres'. However, you use partitive articles like 'du' or 'de la' (contient du sucre).

It is the reflexive form and means to restrain oneself, usually emotionally. For example, 'Il a dû se contenir pour ne pas crier' (He had to restrain himself from yelling).

The past participle is 'contenu'. In the passé composé, it is 'j'ai contenu'.

You say 'Ce produit contient des noix'. On labels, you often see 'Peut contenir des traces de noix' (May contain traces of nuts).

Yes, in journalism, it is very common to say 'Les pompiers ont contenu l'incendie', meaning they stopped it from spreading further.

The most common noun is 'le contenu', which means 'the content' or 'the contents'. Another noun is 'le contenant', meaning 'the container'.

It uses 'avoir'. 'J'ai contenu', 'il a contenu'. It only uses 'être' in the passive voice ('L'eau est contenue').

It uses the irregular stem 'contiendr-'. Je contiendrai, tu contiendras, il contiendra, nous contiendrons, vous contiendrez, ils contiendront.

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