sostener Present Subjunctive Conjugation
sostener — to hold up
The present subjunctive is based on the 'sosteng-' stem: sostenga, sostengas, sostenga, sostengamos, sostengáis, sostengan.
sostener Present Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
Use this when expressing a wish, doubt, or request that someone else holds or maintains something.
Notes on sostener in the Present Subjunctive
Since the 'yo' form is 'sostengo', all subjunctive forms use 'sosteng-' as the base stem.
Example Sentences
Espero que sostengas bien la cámara.
I hope you hold the camera well.
tú
Dudo que ellos sostengan esa mentira por mucho tiempo.
I doubt they will maintain that lie for long.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
El jefe quiere que sostengamos los precios.
The boss wants us to maintain the prices.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: sostenga
Correct: sostengamos
Why: Learners often forget that the 'nosotros' form also uses the 'g' from the 'yo' form.
Mistake: sostienes
Correct: sostengas
Why: Don't use the indicative stem-change form in a subjunctive context.
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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.
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.