sostener Present Conjugation
sostener — to hold up
Sostener follows the 'tener' pattern: it has a 'go' in the yo form and a stem change (e to ie) for most others.
sostener Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present tense to describe holding an object in your hands right now or to express a belief or opinion you currently maintain.
Notes on sostener in the Present
Sostener is highly irregular. It uses the 'yo-go' ending (sostengo) and has a stem-change (e > ie) in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Example Sentences
Yo sostengo la escalera para que no te caigas.
I'm holding the ladder so you don't fall.
yo
Él sostiene que la Tierra es plana.
He maintains that the Earth is flat.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros sostenemos el peso de la carpa.
We are holding up the weight of the tent.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: sosteno
Correct: sostengo
Why: The first-person 'yo' form requires the 'go' suffix, just like its base verb 'tener'.
Mistake: sostene
Correct: sostiene
Why: The verb undergoes an e-to-ie stem change in the singular and third-person plural forms.
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Related Tenses
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.
Negative Imperative
yo: no sostengas
Negative commands always use the present subjunctive forms: no sostengas, no sostenga, no sostengamos, no sostengáis, no sostengan.