sostener
In the tables below, the stem is shown in black and the ending in purple.
1.Presente
Presente
Habitual actions, general truths, and what's happening now.
| yo | sostengo |
| tú | sostienes |
| él/ella | sostiene |
| nosotros | sostenemos |
| vosotros | sostenéis |
| ellos/ellas | sostienen |
Yo sostengo la puerta para que no se cierre.
I hold the door so it doesn't close.
Ella sostiene la opinión de que debemos ayudar a los demás.
She holds the opinion that we should help others.
2.Pretérito Indefinido
Pretérito Indefinido
Completed actions at a specific point in the past.
| yo | sostuve |
| tú | sostuviste |
| él/ella | sostuvo |
| nosotros | sostuvimos |
| vosotros | sostuvisteis |
| ellos/ellas | sostuvieron |
Ayer sostuve la lámpara mientras él cambiaba la bombilla.
Yesterday, I held the lamp while he changed the bulb.
Ellos sostuvieron la bandera durante la ceremonia.
They held the flag during the ceremony.
3.Imperfecto
Imperfecto
Ongoing or repeated actions in the past, descriptions, and background context.
| yo | sostenía |
| tú | sostenías |
| él/ella | sostenía |
| nosotros | sosteníamos |
| vosotros | sosteníais |
| ellos/ellas | sostenían |
Cuando era niño, siempre sostenía la mano de mi madre.
When I was a child, I always held my mother's hand.
Nosotros sosteníamos la conversación mientras tomábamos café.
We held the conversation while we drank coffee.
4.Futuro Simple
Futuro Simple
Future actions, predictions, and speculation about the present.
| yo | sostendré |
| tú | sostendrás |
| él/ella | sostendrá |
| nosotros | sostendremos |
| vosotros | sostendréis |
| ellos/ellas | sostendrán |
Mañana sostendré la reunión a las tres de la tarde.
Tomorrow, I will hold the meeting at three in the afternoon.
Ellos sostendrán la presentación en la conferencia.
They will hold the presentation at the conference.
5.Condicional
Condicional
Hypothetical situations, polite requests, and future-in-the-past.
| yo | sostendría |
| tú | sostendrías |
| él/ella | sostendría |
| nosotros | sostendríamos |
| vosotros | sostendríais |
| ellos/ellas | sostendrían |
Si tuviera tiempo, sostendría una charla sobre el tema.
If I had time, I would hold a talk on the subject.
Ella sostendría la reunión si fuera la líder del grupo.
She would hold the meeting if she were the group leader.
6.Subjuntivo Presente
Subjuntivo Presente
Wishes, doubts, emotions, and subordinate clauses expressing uncertainty.
| yo | sostenga |
| tú | sostengas |
| él/ella | sostenga |
| nosotros | sostengamos |
| vosotros | sostengáis |
| ellos/ellas | sostengan |
Es importante que yo sostenga mi postura en la discusión.
It's important that I hold my position in the discussion.
Espero que ellos sostengan su compromiso con el proyecto.
I hope that they hold their commitment to the project.
7.Subjuntivo Imperfecto
Subjuntivo Imperfecto
Past subjunctive contexts, hypothetical si-clauses, and polite suggestions.
| yo | sostuviera |
| tú | sostuvieras |
| él/ella | sostuviera |
| nosotros | sostuviéramos |
| vosotros | sostuvierais |
| ellos/ellas | sostuvieran |
Si yo sostuviera la verdad, todos estarían de acuerdo.
If I held the truth, everyone would agree.
Si ellos sostuvieran la idea, podríamos avanzar.
If they held the idea, we could move forward.
"sostener" in other languages
Related verbs
Common questions
- Is "sostener" regular or irregular in Spanish?
- "sostener" is an irregular Spanish verb. It does not follow the standard -er conjugation pattern and must be memorized.
- How do you conjugate "sostener" in the present tense?
- In the Presente, "sostener" conjugates as: sostienes, sostengo, sostienen, and more. See the full table above.
- What is the past tense of "sostener" in Spanish?
- In the Pretérito Indefinido, "sostener" conjugates as: sostuviste, sostuve, sostuvieron, and more. See the full table above.
- How common is "sostener" in Spanish?
- "sostener" (to hold, to sustain) is one of the most commonly used verbs in Spanish.