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How to Say ‘I'm keeping him hostage!’ in French

Je le garde en otage !

zhuh luh GARD ahn oh-TAHZH

[zhuh luh GARD ahn oh-TAHZH]

Phrase Breakdown

Je le garde

zhuh luh GARD

I'm keeping him

'Le' replaces the object and comes before the verb. Say 'jeu leu gard'.

Example

Je le garde ici.

I'm keeping it here.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

[luh]

it / him (direct object, masculine)

Direct object pronoun. Refers to a masculine noun like “l’anime” or “l’épisode” (masculine).

Example

On pourrait le regarder en VO.

We could watch it in the original version.

garde

[GARD]

keep / hold

Form of 'garder' (to keep, to save a place).

Example

Je garde ta place.

I'm saving your seat.

en otage !

ahn oh-TAHZH

hostage!

'Garder en otage' means to hold hostage. The 'n' links to 'otage': 'an-no-taj'.

Example

Ils ont pris un homme en otage.

They took a man hostage.

Words in this phrase

[ahn]

Preposition here meaning 'in the role of'.

Example

Il parle en ami.

He speaks as a friend.

otage

[oh-TAHZH]

hostage

A person or animal held to force someone to meet demands.

Example

Les otages sont libres.

The hostages are free.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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