What is the past tense of "retain"?

The past simple of "retain" is "retained". The company retained its best employees with higher salaries.

What is the past participle of "retain"?

The past participle of "retain" is "retained". Use it after have/has/had: "I have retained".

What is a common mistake with "retain"?

Wrong: "The company retained in the best workers.". Correct: "The company retained the best workers.". Retain is transitive; use directly with object, no preposition.

Conjugation of "Retain" — All Forms, Examples, and Usage

Q: Is "retain" regular or irregular?

"Retain" is a regular English verb. Both past simple and past participle are formed by adding -ed.

Q: How do you pronounce "retain"?

/rɪˈteɪn/ — Stress on second syllable: rih-TAYN. The 'ai' sounds like in 'day'.

Look up another verb

All 12 Tenses of "Retain"

Quick reference table — every tense form of "retain" with the first-person example and a link to the grammar guide for that tense.

Tense	Example (I)	Quick rule
Simple Present	`I retain`	Used for habits, facts, routines, and permanent situations. Full rule →
Simple Past	`I retained`	Used for completed actions at a specific time in the past. Full rule →
Simple Future	`I will retain`	Used for predictions, decisions made at the moment, and promises. Full rule →
Present Continuous	`I am retaining`	Used for actions happening right now or temporary situations. Full rule →
Past Continuous	`I was retaining`	Used for actions in progress at a specific moment in the past. Full rule →
Future Continuous	`I will be retaining`	Used for actions that will be in progress at a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect	`I have retained`	Used for past actions with present relevance, life experiences, or unfinished situations. Full rule →
Past Perfect	`I had retained`	Used for an action that was completed before another past action. Full rule →
Future Perfect	`I will have retained`	Used for an action that will be completed before a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect Continuous	`I have been retaining`	Used for actions that started in the past and continue now, with focus on duration. Full rule →
Past Perfect Continuous	`I had been retaining`	Used for ongoing actions in the past that continued up to another past moment. Full rule →
Future Perfect Continuous	`I will have been retaining`	Used for actions that will have been ongoing up until a specific future time. Full rule →

Past Tense of "Retain" — Retained

The past simple of "retain" is "retained" — formed by adding "-ed". Use it for actions that were completed at a specific time in the past, such as "yesterday", "last week", or "in 2020". For the full grammar of this tense, see our simple past tense guide.

The company retained its best employees with higher salaries. B2
She retained the documents for five years as required. B2

Past Participle of "Retain" — Retained

The past participle of "retain" is "retained" — the same form as the past simple, since "retain" is a regular verb. Use it after "have/has/had" for perfect tenses ("I have retained") and after "be" for passive voice ("It was retained").

The company retained its best employees with higher salaries. B2
She retained the documents for five years as required. B2

Is "Retain" Regular or Irregular?

"Retain" is a regular English verb. Its past simple and past participle are both formed by adding "-ed" to give "retained". The 3rd-person singular present is "retains" and the gerund/present participle is "retaining".

Conjugation pattern: regular -ed

How to Pronounce "Retain" and Its Forms

Retain: /rɪˈteɪn/ — Stress pattern: oO

Stress on second syllable: rih-TAYN. The 'ai' sounds like in 'day'.

Common mispronunciation of "retain"

Stress on first syllable 'RE-tain' instead of 'rih-TAYN'.

Syllable breakdown: re · tain

How to Use "Retain" — Common Grammar Patterns

Use when emphasizing keeping or holding ownership of something over time.

S + retain + O
S + retain + O + ADV

Example Sentences with "Retain" in Different Tenses

Simple Present: He managed to retain his composure during the stressful meeting. B2
Simple Past: The company retained its best employees with higher salaries. B2

Common Collocations with "Retain"

retain control
retain rights
retain information

When to Use "Retain" vs Similar Verbs

Smart synonyms — when to use each one

keep — Basic everyday possession or ownership
maintain — Continuing to hold or preserve deliberately
hold onto — Gripping or keeping something physically
preserve — Protecting and keeping something unchanged

Antonyms: release, lose, discard, abandon

Common Mistakes with "Retain"

Wrong: She retain often.
Correct: She retains often.
Add "s" to the verb when the subject is third-person singular (he/she/it).

Origin and Etymology of "Retain"

From Old French retenir, from Latin re- (back) + tenere (hold).

Other Forms of "Retain"

Noun: retention

Conjugation Tables for "Retain"

Negative Forms

Simple present: I do not retain · He does not retain
Simple past: I did not retain · She did not retain
Present perfect: I have not retained · He has not retained

Question Forms

Simple present: Do you retain? · Does he retain?
Simple past: Did you retain?
Present perfect: Have you retained?

Passive Voice (where applicable)

Simple present passive: It is retained
Simple past passive: It was retained
Present perfect passive: It has been retained

Frequently Asked Questions About "Retain"

Is "retain" regular or irregular?: "retain" is a regular verb. Add -ed for past simple and past participle: "retained".
What is the past tense of "retain"?: The simple past of "retain" is "retained".
When do I use simple present vs present continuous with "retain"?: Use simple present for habits, facts, and routines: "I retain every day." Use present continuous for actions happening right now: "I am retaining right now."