verb
to hold on / to hold (physically), to record / to note down
B1
festhalten: Common meanings: 1) to hold on/to hold someone or something firmly; 2) to record or note down. It is separable (festhalten), non-reflexive, uses auxiliary haben in perfect, and is a strong/irregular verb (Partizip II: festgehalten). Stem changes from halten (e→ä in du/er).
Examples
Er hielt sich am Seil fest.
He held on tightly to the rope.
Der Reporter hielt die wichtigsten Zitate fest.
The reporter recorded the key quotes.
Sie hat die Erinnerungen festgehalten.
She preserved the memories.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine clenching a rope tightly (holding on) and then pinning a note to it (recording).
Think 'fast hold' — 'fest' sounds like 'fast', and 'halten' like 'hold'.
Notes
Separable verb: in finite main clauses the prefix 'fest' moves to the end (ich halte fest). Can mean physically holding on, or documenting/recording something.