contener Present Conjugation
contener — to contain
The present of contener follows the 'tener' pattern: contengo, contienes, contiene, contenemos, contenéis, contienen.
contener Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present tense to describe what something currently contains, like ingredients in a recipe or emotions a person is holding inside right now.
Notes on contener in the Present
This verb is a 'g-verb' in the yo form (contengo) and has an e-ie stem change in all other forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Example Sentences
Este libro contiene mucha información útil.
This book contains a lot of useful information.
él/ella/usted
No contengo mi alegría por la noticia.
I'm not containing (holding back) my joy about the news.
yo
¿Contienen estas galletas nueces?
Do these cookies contain nuts?
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: yo conteno
Correct: yo contengo
Why: Contener follows the irregular 'tener' pattern, which adds a -g- in the first person singular.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: contuve
The preterite uses the irregular 'tuv' stem: contuve, contuviste, contuvo, contuvimos, contuvisteis, contuvieron.
Imperfect
yo: contenía
The imperfect of contener is completely regular: contenía, contenías, contenía, conteníamos, conteníais, contenían.
Future
yo: contendré
The future uses the irregular stem 'contendr-': contendré, contendrás, contendrá, contendremos, contendréis, contendrán.
Conditional
yo: contendría
The conditional uses the irregular stem 'contendr-': contendría, contendrías, contendría, contendríamos, contendríais, contendrían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: contenga
The present subjunctive is based on the 'yo' form: contenga, contengas, contenga, contengamos, contengáis, contengan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: contuviera
The imperfect subjunctive uses the 'contuv-' stem: contuviera, contuvieras, contuviera, contuviéramos, contuvierais, contuvieran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: contén
Direct commands for contener: contén (tú), contenga (usted), contened (vosotros), contengan (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no contengas
Negative commands use the present subjunctive: no contengas, no contenga, no contengamos, no contengáis, no contengan.