Using the wrong past tense

This word works exactly like 'tener.' If you know how to say 'tengo' or 'tuve,' you just add 're-' to the front: 'retengo,' 'retuve.'

The 'Tener' Family Pattern

When telling a friend to 'keep' or 'hold' something, the word shortens to 'retén' instead of 'retene.'

Shortened Command

Use 'retener' when you want to sound slightly more formal or precise than 'quedarse con' (to keep).

Friendly tip

Very common in everyday speech, especially when talking about holding physical objects or stopping movement.

Using 'recordar' for everything

While 'retener' usually refers to holding something physical, when used with words like 'información' or 'nombres,' it describes the mental act of keeping it in your head.

Mind vs. Hands

Teachers often use this word to talk about how students learn and keep knowledge.

Study contexts

Commonly used in academic or professional settings when discussing learning and memory.

In legal or financial contexts, the action is usually done by an authority (bank, police, government) to a person or their property.

Formal Contexts

You will often see the noun form 'retención' in doctor's offices or on medicine labels.

Medical use

Specific to financial, legal, or biological contexts.

Learn the meaning of 'retener' in Spanish. Includes full conjugation tables, examples for memory, physical holding, and financial withholding.

Retener Meaning & Conjugation | Spanish-English Dictionary

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The conditional uses the irregular stem 'retendr-': retendría, retendrías, retendría.

The future of retener uses the irregular stem 'retendr-': retendré, retendrás, etc.

The imperative for retener has a short 'tú' form: retén.

The imperfect of retener is regular: retenía, retenías, retenía, reteníamos, reteníais, retenían.

The imperfect subjunctive of retener uses the irregular 'retuv-' stem: retuviera, retuvieras, retuviera.

The negative imperative always uses the present subjunctive forms: no retengas, no retenga.

In the present, retener changes 'e' to 'ie' in most forms and has a 'yo' form ending in -go.

The present subjunctive of retener uses the stem 'reteng-' and is used for doubts or requests about keeping something.

The preterite of retener is highly irregular, using the 'uv' stem: retuve, retuviste, retuvo.

retener

Complete Conjugation Tables

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

present

imperative

negative

affirmative

indicative

conditional

preterite

imperfect

present

future

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