Looking up...
To keep information confidential without revealing it to others.
Ha promesso di tenere il segreto sulla nostra relazione.
He promised to keep our relationship a secret.
Non riesco a tenere il segreto, devo dirlo a qualcuno!
I can't keep the secret, I have to tell someone!
Used for both personal and professional contexts where confidentiality is required.
Avoid using 'tenere il segreto' with 'da' (e.g., *tenere il segreto da qualcuno). The correct preposition is typically none or 'su' (e.g., 'tenere il segreto su qualcosa').
Use 'tenere il segreto' when the focus is on the action of concealing information actively. For passive concealment, consider 'nascondere' (to hide).
The phrase combines 'tenere' (to hold/keep) from Latin 'tenēre' and 'segreto' (secret) from Latin 'secretum', both with the core meaning of 'hidden' or 'set apart'. The expression reflects the physical metaphor of 'holding' information securely.
Common in both formal and informal contexts. Often used with 'di' + infinitive (e.g., 'tenere il segreto di qualcosa'). The phrase emphasizes the active effort to conceal information rather than passive ignorance.