French Expression · Advanced
S'en tenir à
To stick to / To abide by / To limit oneself to
Pronunciation: sahn tahn-NEER ah
Meaning
To follow or adhere to something (a rule, a plan) strictly, or to limit oneself to a particular scope.
Example
Pour l'instant, nous devons nous en tenir au plan initial.
For now, we must stick to the original plan.
Practice tips
- Practice S'en tenir à out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this French expression is for advanced-level learners.