sustentar Present Subjunctive Conjugation
sustentar — to support
Use 'sustente' (yo/él/ella/usted), 'sustentes' (tú), 'sustentemos' (nosotros), etc., after expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty.
sustentar Present Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used when the main clause expresses doubt, desire, emotion, necessity, or uncertainty about the action in the subordinate clause. For 'sustentar', it's often about wanting or needing someone *to* support something.
Notes on sustentar in the Present Subjunctive
Sustentar is regular in the present subjunctive. The forms are identical to the affirmative 'usted' and 'ustedes' imperative forms.
Example Sentences
Espero que me sustentes en este proyecto.
I hope you support me in this project.
tú
Dudo que él sustente esa opinión.
I doubt that he supports that opinion.
él/ella/usted
Es necesario que todos sustentemos la verdad.
It is necessary that we all support the truth.
nosotros
No creo que ellos sustenten la propuesta.
I don't think they support the proposal.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Me alegra que tú sustentes a tu familia con tanto esfuerzo.
I'm happy that you support your family with so much effort.
tú
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the present indicative instead of the present subjunctive.
Correct: After verbs of doubt or desire, use the subjunctive: 'Dudo que sustentes', not 'Dudo que sustentas'.
Why: The subjunctive mood is required to express subjective states like doubt or desire.
Mistake: Forgetting the subjunctive 'e'/'en'/'emos' endings for -ar verbs.
Correct: Remember the subjunctive endings for -ar verbs are -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.
Why: These are the correct subjunctive endings for regular -ar verbs.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'sustentar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: sustento
The present tense of 'sustentar' is regular: sustento, sustentas, sustenta, sustentamos, sustentáis, sustentan.
Preterite
yo: sustenté
The preterite of 'sustentar' is regular: sustenté, sustentaste, sustentó, sustentamos, sustentasteis, sustentaron.
Imperfect
yo: sustentaba
The imperfect of 'sustentar' is regular: sustentaba, sustentabas, sustentaba, sustentábamos, sustentabais, sustentaban.
Future
yo: sustentaré
The future tense of 'sustentar' is regular: sustentaré, sustentarás, sustentará, sustentaremos, sustentaréis, sustentarán.
Conditional
yo: sustentaría
The conditional of 'sustentar' is regular: sustentaría, sustentarías, sustentaría, sustentaríamos, sustentaríais, sustentarían.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: sustentara
Use 'sustentara' or 'sustentase' (yo/él/ella/usted), 'sustentaras'/'sustentases' (tú), 'sustentáramos'/'sustentásemos' (nosotros), etc., for past hypothetical situations or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: sustenta
Use 'sustenta' (tú), 'sustente' (usted), 'sustentemos' (nosotros), 'sustentad' (vosotros), 'sustenten' (ustedes) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no sustentes
Use 'no sustentes' (tú), 'no sustente' (usted), 'no sustentemos' (nosotros), 'no sustentéis' (vosotros), 'no sustenten' (ustedes) for negative commands.