sostener Negative Imperative Conjugation
sostener — to hold up
Negative commands always use the present subjunctive forms: no sostengas, no sostenga, no sostengamos, no sostengáis, no sostengan.
sostener Negative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Negative Imperative
Use this to tell someone not to hold something or to stop maintaining a certain argument.
Notes on sostener in the Negative Imperative
All forms are identical to the present subjunctive. They use the 'sosteng-' stem.
Example Sentences
No sostengas la caja por el fondo.
Don't hold the box by the bottom.
tú
No sostenga esa actitud tan negativa.
Don't maintain such a negative attitude.
No sostengáis el cable mientras está conectado.
Don't hold the cable while it is plugged in.
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: no sostén
Correct: no sostengas
Why: You cannot use the affirmative command form for a negative command; you must switch to the subjunctive.
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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.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: sostén
The informal command is 'sostén'; others use the 'sosteng-' stem.