Mantener Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Mantener (to maintain, to keep, to support, to hold a conversation) is an irregular verb in -er. It is a compound of tener (man- + tener), so it inherits all of its irregularities: the e→ie stem change in the present (mantienes), the -g- in the first person and the subjunctive (mantengo, mantenga), a strong preterite with no accent on the ending (mantuve), the irregular stem mantendr- in the future and conditional (mantendré, mantendría), and a tú command with an accent (mantén).

Indicative Tenses of Mantener

Mantener in the Present (Presente)

Habits, current facts and general truths: Mantengo la calma en las reuniones difíciles (I keep calm in difficult meetings).

Present tense rules →

Mantener in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: Mantuve una larga conversación con ella (I held a long conversation with her).

Preterite rules →

Mantener in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: Hemos mantenido el contacto durante años (We have kept in touch for years).

Present perfect rules →

Mantener in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De joven mantenía una dieta muy estricta (As a young person I used to keep a very strict diet).

Imperfect rules →

Mantener in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando hablamos, ya había mantenido su promesa (When we spoke, he had already kept his promise).

Past perfect rules →

Mantener in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: Mantendré mi palabra pase lo que pase (I will keep my word no matter what).

Future tense rules →

Mantener in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para entonces ya habré mantenido la casa un año entero (By then I will have supported the household for a whole year).

Future perfect rules →

Mantener in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Yo mantendría la calma en tu lugar (If I were you, I would keep calm).

Conditional rules →

Mantener in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Habría mantenido el secreto, pero me obligaron a hablar (I would have kept the secret, but they forced me to speak).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Mantener

Present Subjunctive of Mantener (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions: Te pido que mantengas la calma (I ask you to keep calm).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Mantener (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Espero que hayas mantenido tu promesa (I hope you have kept your promise).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Mantener (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si mantuvieras la calma, todo sería más fácil (If you kept calm, everything would be easier).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Mantener (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubieras mantenido el contacto, no os habríais distanciado (If you had kept in touch, you would not have grown apart).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Mantener

Affirmative Commands of Mantener (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and requests: ¡Mantén la calma! (Keep calm!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Mantener (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No mantengas esa actitud (Don't keep that attitude).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Mantener

• Mantener la calma - to keep calm, to stay composed
• Mantener una conversación - to hold a conversation with someone
• Mantener el contacto - to keep in touch with someone
• Mantenerse en forma - to stay in shape
• Mantener una promesa - to keep a promise