What does contener mean?
contener means to contain in English. It is a irregular -er verb.
It can also be used with these related meanings: to hold; to restrain, check.
Spanish verb guide
Contener Conjugation in Spanish
Learn contener, meaning to contain, through verified forms and contextual examples.
irregular-ergerund: conteniendoparticiple: contenido
Principal forms of contener
- Infinitive
- contener
- Gerund
- conteniendo
- Past participle
- contenido
Contener conjugation table
Compare the present, preterite, imperfect, and future forms. Reflexive pronouns are included where the verb requires them.
| Pronoun | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | contengo | contuve | contenía | contendré |
| tú | contienes | contuviste | contenías | contendrás |
| él / ella / usted | contiene | contuvo | contenía | contendrá |
| nosotros/as | contenemos | contuvimos | conteníamos | contendremos |
| ellos/as / ustedes | contienen | contuvieron | contenían | contendrán |
Pattern notes
- Its forms differ from a fully regular -er pattern in the present, preterite, future.
Examples with contener
El arroz no contiene gluten.Rice doesn't contain gluten.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Esta oración contiene un error.This sentence contains an error.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Por favor, contengan su aplauso.Please hold your applause.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Practice prompts
- Conjugate contener for yo in the present.
- Use the preterite form for ella.
- Say the nosotros/as imperfect form.
- Write a short sentence in the future.
Practice contener online
Use VerbyGo for a quick conjugation round with instant feedback and accent checking.