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Dutch Verb Houden ('to hold, to keep') - Houden van ('to love, to like') and other Houden verbs and Words

Conjugation
Houden van ('to love, to like')
Houden ('to hold, to keep')
Other Verbs with Houden
Related Words

Houden   click to hear 2 3 4 to 'hold,' 'to keep' is a strong verb:

houden
to 'hold'
- hield
held
- gehouden
held
click to hear

overview
houden to hold
ik houd I'm holding
wij houden we're holding
ik hield I held
wij hielden we held
ik heb gehouden I have held
click to hear

'Houden' is most often found as 'houden van' click to hear - to love, to like. Of that I have the complete conjugation:

overview
houden van to love, to like
ik houd van I love
wij houden van we love
ik hield van I loved
wij hielden van we loved
ik heb gehouden van I have loved
click to hear

simple present tense
(houden van) to love, to like
ik houd van I love
jij houdt van you love (singular, informal you)
hij houdt van he loves
wij houden van we love
jullie houden van you love (plural, informal you)
zij houden van they love
U houdt van you love(polite you)
click to hear

simple past tense
(houden van) to love
ik hield van I loved
jij hield van you loved
hij hield van he loved
wij hielden van we loved
jullie hielden van y'all loved
zij hielden van they loved
U hield van you loved
click to hear

present perfect tense
ik heb gehouden van click to hear I have loved, liked
auxiliary verb hebben

For the present tense of the first person singular, and for the inverted question mode of the second person singular present tense, the D of 'houd' is often not pronounced
houden / ik houd / ik hou click to hear
jij houdt / hou jij? click to hear

'Houden van' - to Love, to Like

Most of the 'houden van' examples were also used on the 'What I Want' page - where you can find alternates and related words

'Houden van' click to hear is 'to like, to love' - but the Dutch rarely say things like "Ik hou van jou" click to hear 'I love you' to romantic partners or children. 'Houden van'  is mostly used to communicate a like (or dislike) of specific food, music or activities

Ik houd van ... click to hear I like, I love .... (fill in any subject) Ik houd van soep click to hear (-d) (2) I love soup Ik houd niet van vis click to hear I don't like fish ‑>> Ik hou er niet van click to hear 2 3 I don't like it, I don't enjoy it Ik houd erg van Bach click to hear (-d) (2) I like Bach very much Ik houd niet van sport click to hear (-d) I do not like sports Ik houd niet van vlees snijden click to hear I dislike cutting meat Daar houd ik niet van click to hear 2 3 4 I don't like that Waar hou(d) je van? click to hear What do you like?
Keep in mind that placeholders 'It,' 'What' and 'That' are translated by 'er,' 'waar' and 'daar' when used with a preposition (like 'van') - more
"Houd jij van opera? - Ik niet." click to hear "Do you like opera? - I don't." Hij houdt niet van spruitjes click to hear 2 He doesn't like Brussels sprouts Hij houdt erg van soep click to hear 2 He really likes soup, he likes soup a lot Hou(d) je van koken? click to hear 2 Do you like to cook? Do you like cooking? Hij houdt veel van honden click to hear He loves dogs Hij houdt van jou click to hear He loves you alternates and related words

Houden ('to hold, to keep')

'Houden' click to hear 2 by itself is something like 'to hold, to keep'

Hou je vast! click to hear 2 ['Hold fast!'] - Hold on, grip something scheef houden click to hear 2 to hold at an angle, to tilt Hij kan geen wijs houden click to hear 2 He cannot ['hold on to'] carry a tune Hou je mond! click to hear 2 3 4 Hold your mouth! Keep your mouth shut! Don't say anything! Shut up! Pappen en nathouden click to hear 2 3 (saying) ['Apply paste and keep wet'] - applying and maintaining a wound dressing
Keep going in adverse circumstances, persevering in a less than ideal situation - but not looking for a radical solution
Houd afstand click to hear 2 Keep distance, dont get too close Hou 't eenvoudig click to hear 2 Keep it simple (uncomplicated) Probeer 't eenvoudig te houden click to hear 2 Try to keep it simple

Hou(d) 't goed in de gaten click to hear 2 (saying) Watch it [well] closely
(het) gat click to hear 'hole' (vowel lengthening in the plural: gat/gaten click to hear ‑>>) - Stoett says 'gaten' here probably means 'look-holes, eyes' so: 'Keep it well in your eyes'
Je moet 't goed in de gaten houden click to hear 2 3 You have to watch it closely

Een oogje in het zeil houden click to hear 2 (saying) to keep an eye on the sail' - to watch over something or someone Iemand die een oogje in het zeil houdt click to hear 2 A person watching over someone or something

Hij houdt z'n poot stijf click to hear (saying) ['He's keeping his paw stiff'] - 'He's not giving in' Ik hoop dat we 't droog houden click to hear I hope we'll keep it dry (hoping it doesn't rain)

Hou je gedeisd click to hear 'Keep quiet, don't make a fuss, lay low, don't draw attention to yourself' (from Portuguese deixar)

achter de hand houden click to hear 2 3 keeping something (a resource) ['behind the hand,' hidden] in reserve

Ik wil je niet van je werk houden click to hear 2 3 I don't want to keep you from your work

Ik hou(d) je verantwoordelijk click to hear 2 3 I hold you responsible, you are liable
(de) wettelijke aansprakelijkheid click to hear 2 legal liability

voor de gek houden click to hear 2 to fool (someone) - usually: play a prank, deceive (someone) for a joke Hou je jezelf voor de gek? click to hear 2 3 4 Are you fooling, deceiving yourself?

Dat hou(d) je toch click to hear 2 3 [That's going to remain, whatever you do - you'll always keep that] - You can't change that, that's not going to change (a small problem that can't be solved, something unpleasant, a nuisance that's not going away)

Hou je hoofd erbij! click to hear 2 3 4 ['Keep your head at it'] - Pay attention, stay with it, don't lose focus

Hou je gemak! click to hear 2 3 [Remain at ease] - Don't get excited, 'keep your shirt on'

Compound Verbs with Houden

'Houden' click to hear 2 is also often combined with other prepositions, like 'op,' 'tegen' and 'onder.'
Note that some verbs split in the simple tenses - more

behouden click to hear 2 3 to keep, hold on to, retain, conserve 'Behoudend' click to hear 2 3 ['holding on'] is an old-fashioned word for 'conservative.' The modern word is the easier 'conservatief' click to hear 2 ->> Probeer alles en behoud het goede click to hear 2 3 4 Try everything and keep what's good 'Het Behouden Huis' click to hear Searching for the North-East Passage in 1596, Willem Barentsz click to hear and his crew were trapped in the ice and wintered on Nova Zembla. They built a shelter from the wreckage of their ship and called it  'Het Behouden Huis.' Wikipedia translates that as 'The Saved House' - but I think it rather means 'The House Where We're Safe, the place where we'll survive' Behouden vaart! click to hear 2 3 Have a safe journey! (said to sailors and travellers by ship - old-fashioned)

ophouden click to hear 2 to stop, end, come to an end ophouden met click to hear to stop, end, quit, cease  met/mee ophouden met werken click to hear 2 to stop working, to retire  ‑>> ophouden met roken click to hear 2 to stop smoking   ‑>> Hou op! click to hear 2 3 4 5 Stop it! Hou toch op! click to hear 2 Now stop that nonsense! Shut up! I'm sick and tired or your talking Hou er onmiddellijk mee op! click to hear 2 3 Now stop that (immediately) right away! Daar moet je mee ophouden click to hear 2 You should stop doing that 't Hield zomaar op click to hear 2 It suddenly stopped, I don't know why Dan houdt alles op click to hear 2 ['Then everything ends'] - That changes everything, it's no use continuing after that 't Houdt maar niet op click to hear 2 It just never stops, it goes on and on Ik denk erover op te houden click to hear 2 3 I'm thinking of stopping, not continuiing Kan ik ermee ophouden? click to hear 2 3 4 Can I stop doing this? Is it OK not to continue with this? Houdt die herrie nooit op? click to hear Is that noise never going to stop? We kunnen nu niet ophouden click to hear 2 3 We can't stop now onophoudelijk click to hear 2 unending, continuing, ceaselessly, incessantly Ik eet geen witlof meer want het is te duur click to hear 2 [I no longer eat ... because it is too expensive] - I stopped eating Belgian endives because they're too expensive

Ze weten niet van ophouden click to hear 2 3 4 (saying) ['They don't know about stopping'] - They go on an on, they never stop Hij weet niet van ophouden click to hear 2 3

uithouden click to hear 2 (usually:   't uithouden click to hear 2 3) to endure, bear, 'stand' (het) uithoudingsvermogen click to hear 2 ['ability to endure'] - stamina, staying power Hoe hou(d) je 't uit! click to hear 2 3 4 How can you stand it!

volhouden click to hear 2 to persevere, carry on, insist Houd vol! click to hear 2 3 4 Carry on! Keep going! (Don't give up!)

onthouden click to hear 2 3 1. to remember (not forget)
2. to withhold (not give)
3. to abstain from, stay away from something
Ik kan het niet onthouden click to hear 2 I can't keep it in mind, it keeps slipping from my mind, I keep forgetting Je moet het goed onthouden click to hear 2 3 You'll have to keep it in mind closely, don't forget it (de) geheelonthouder click to hear 2 teetotaler, person staying away from alcohol onthoudingsverschijnselen click to hear 2 withdrawal symptoms
(in addiction - (de) verslaving click to hear)
also: ontwenningsverschijnselen click to hear 2 ‑>>

tegenhouden click to hear 2 3 to stop, prevent, hold back, keep back Ik houd je niet tegen click to hear 2 I'm not holding you back, I'm not stopping you

terughoudend click to hear 2 3 [holding back] - reserved, aloof, detached

Ik kan 't niet meer bijhouden click to hear 2 I can't keep up with it (getting old)

'Aanhouden' click to hear 2 3 can mean police or other authorities stopping and detaining people, but usually it means 'to keep on' like not taking off clothes etc. or to continue what you're doing, 'continue against adversity, persevere, sustain'
Hou(d) je schoenen aan click to hear 2 3 Keep your shoes on De aanhouder wint click to hear (saying) He/she who perseveres will win, succeed

vasthouden click to hear 2 (verb) to hold, grip (firmly)
(noun) holding on to (literally and figuratively)
Ik moet me altijd ergens aan vasthouden click to hear 2 3 4 I need to hold on to something (a fixed point) at all times (het) houvast click to hear 2 3 'something to hold on to,' a reliable point of support, hold, grip (usually figuratively) Dan heb je wat houvast click to hear 2 3 4 'Then you have something to hold onto,' - you'll have a helpful point of support in that

onderhoudento maintain
ik onderhield I maintained
ik heb onderhouden I have maintained
click to hear
(het) onderhoud click to hear 2 1. maintenance, keeping in good condition
2. serious, official conversation
achterstallig onderhoud click to hear 2 overdue maintenance

houdbaar click to hear 2 3 ['can be kept'] 'non-perishable, shelf-stable' ‑>> houdbaar tot ... click to hear 'can be kept until' - 'best before ...' tenminste houdbaar tot ... click to hear 2 'can be kept at least until' - 'best before ...'

onhoudbaar click to hear 2 3 ['cannot be held, impossible to hold'] - untenable, unacceptable, indefensible een onhoudbare positie click to hear 2 3 4 1. a viewpoint that's unacceptable
2. (military) a location that cannot be defended
een onhoudbare situatie click to hear 2 3 [a situation that can't go on] - an untenable situation, an unacceptable set of circumstances - something gotta change

(de) boekhouder click to hear 2 bookkeeper - keeper of a company's financial records (de) stadhouder click to hear 'stadtholder,' the head of the Dutch Republic (ca. 1570-1795.) It's often said that the title has to do with the Dutch word  (de) stad click to hear ('city') - but which city is he holding? Only one city? I think the  'stad' in   'stadhouder' is rather a word related to English 'instead' and German 'statt' - 'holding instead of, in place of the king'
plural:
stadhouders click to hear ‑>>
(de) stamhouder click to hear 'keeper' of the family, 'holder' of the family name - the oldest son of the oldest son etc. ‑>> (de) inhoud click to hear [holding in] - contents; table of contents of a book

het huishouden click to hear household; running a household, housekeeping (de) hulp-in-de-huishouding click to hear 2 [help in the household] - domestic help (de) huishoudschool click to hear 'homemaking, housekeeping school' - abandoned secondary school type

(de) houding click to hear attitude Ik erger me aan z'n houding click to hear 2 3 4 I'm annoyed by his attitude

(de) verhouding click to hear 1. relation, proportion
2. love affair, romantic relationship
naar verhouding click to hear 2 in proportion, comparatively, relatively

(de) verstandhouding click to hear 2 relationship of understanding, mutual understanding een goede verstandhouding click to hear good, cordial relations We hebben een goede verstandhouding click to hear 2 3 we get on well, we understand each other

hebben en houden click to hear ['have and hold'] - all of a person's possessions

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