What does mantener mean?
mantener means to keep in English. It is a irregular -er verb.
It can also be used with these related meanings: to maintain, to support; to sustain, to preserve, to retain, to uphold.
Spanish verb guide
Mantener Conjugation in Spanish
Learn mantener, meaning to keep, through verified forms and contextual examples.
irregular-ergerund: manteniendoparticiple: mantenido
Principal forms of mantener
- Infinitive
- mantener
- Gerund
- manteniendo
- Past participle
- mantenido
Mantener 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 | mantengo | mantuve | mantenía | mantendré |
| tú | mantienes | mantuviste | mantenías | mantendrás |
| él / ella / usted | mantiene | mantuvo | mantenía | mantendrá |
| nosotros/as | mantenemos | mantuvimos | manteníamos | mantendremos |
| ellos/as / ustedes | mantienen | mantuvieron | mantenían | mantendrán |
Pattern notes
- Its forms differ from a fully regular -er pattern in the present, preterite, future.
Examples with mantener
Mantén tu frente en alto.Keep your chin up.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tom mantuvo a Mary cerca.Tom held Mary close.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Mantén los brazos en alto.Keep your hands up.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Practice prompts
- Conjugate mantener 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 mantener online
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