mantener Conditional Conjugation
mantener — to keep
The conditional uses the same irregular stem as the future: mantendría, mantendrías, mantendría.
mantener Conditional Forms
When to Use the Conditional
Use this for 'would' scenarios—things you would keep or maintain if conditions were different.
Notes on mantener in the Conditional
Like the future, the stem is 'mantendr-'. The endings are the same as the imperfect (-ía, -ías, etc.).
Example Sentences
Yo mantendría la calma en esa situación.
I would keep calm in that situation.
yo
¿Mantendrías el secreto si te lo cuento?
Would you keep the secret if I tell you?
tú
Common Mistakes
Mistake: mantenería
Correct: mantendría
Why: It uses the irregular stem 'mantendr-', not the infinitive 'mantener'.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: mantengo
Mantener has a 'go' in the yo form and an e-to-ie stem change for others: mantengo, mantienes, mantiene.
Preterite
yo: mantuve
The preterite of mantener is highly irregular, using a 'uv' stem: mantuve, mantuviste, mantuvo, mantuvimos, mantuvisteis, mantuvieron.
Imperfect
yo: mantenía
Mantener is regular in the imperfect: mantenía, mantenías, mantenía.
Future
yo: mantendré
The future tense uses an irregular stem: mantendré, mantendrás, mantendrá.
Present Subjunctive
yo: mantenga
The present subjunctive is based on the 'mantengo' stem: mantenga, mantengas, mantenga.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: mantuviera
The imperfect subjunctive uses the 'uv' stem from the preterite: mantuviera, mantuvieras, mantuviera.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: mantén
The imperative has a short 'tú' form: mantén, and uses subjunctive forms for others.
Negative Imperative
yo: no mantengas
The negative imperative always uses present subjunctive forms: no mantengas, no mantenga.