sostener Affirmative Imperative Conjugation
sostener — to hold up
The informal command is 'sostén'; others use the 'sosteng-' stem.
sostener Affirmative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Affirmative Imperative
Use the imperative to tell someone to hold an object or to maintain a certain position/attitude.
Notes on sostener in the Affirmative Imperative
The 'tú' form is 'sostén' (shortened and accented). All other forms (usted, nosotros, ustedes) use the subjunctive 'sosteng-' stem.
Example Sentences
Sostén esto un segundo, por favor.
Hold this for a second, please.
tú
Sostengan la respiración por diez segundos.
Hold your breath for ten seconds.
Sostened la bandera con orgullo.
Hold the flag with pride.
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: sostiene
Correct: sostén
Why: While regular verbs use the third-person present for 'tú' commands, sostener (like tener) has a short irregular form: sostén.
Mistake: sosten
Correct: sostén
Why: The 'tú' command requires a written accent on the 'e' because it is an oxytone word ending in 'n'.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: sostengo
Sostener follows the 'tener' pattern: it has a 'go' in the yo form and a stem change (e to ie) for most others.
Preterite
yo: sostuve
Sostener uses the irregular 'uv' stem: sostuve, sostuviste, sostuvo, sostuvimos, sostuvisteis, sostuvieron.
Imperfect
yo: sostenía
Sostener is regular in the imperfect: sostenía, sostenías, sostenía, sosteníamos, sosteníais, sostenían.
Future
yo: sostendré
Sostener adds a 'd' to the stem: sostendré, sostendrás, sostendrá, sostendremos, sostendréis, sostendrán.
Conditional
yo: sostendría
The conditional uses the 'sostend-' stem: sostendría, sostendrías, sostendría, sostendríamos, sostendríais, sostendrían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: sostenga
The present subjunctive is based on the 'sosteng-' stem: sostenga, sostengas, sostenga, sostengamos, sostengáis, sostengan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: sostuviera
The imperfect subjunctive uses the 'sostuv-' stem: sostuviera, sostuvieras, sostuviera, sostuviéramos, sostuvierais, sostuvieran.
Negative Imperative
yo: no sostengas
Negative commands always use the present subjunctive forms: no sostengas, no sostenga, no sostengamos, no sostengáis, no sostengan.