mantén
“mantén” means “keep” in Spanish (to continue to have or hold).
keep, maintain
Also: hold, preserve
📝 In Action
Mantén la puerta cerrada, por favor.
A2Keep the door closed, please.
Si quieres un buen trabajo, mantén tus habilidades al día.
B1If you want a good job, maintain your skills up to date.
¡Mantén la calma! Solo es una pequeña araña.
B1Keep calm! It's only a small spider.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: mantén
Question 1 of 1
Which of these situations requires the command form 'mantén'?
📚 More Resources
📚 Etymology▼
The verb *mantener* comes from the Latin phrase *manu tenēre*, literally meaning 'to hold with the hand.' This origin explains why the verb is fundamentally about holding onto something, whether physically or figuratively (like a promise or a state of mind).
First recorded: 13th century (for the base verb *mantener*)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'mantén' irregular if the base verb is -er?
'Mantener' is a compound verb built on 'tener' (to have/hold). Because 'tener' has the irregular command 'ten', 'mantener' follows that pattern, resulting in the irregular 'mantén' instead of the expected 'mantiene'.
What is the difference between 'mantén' and 'mantiene'?
'Mantén' is a command: 'Keep!' (used with 'tú'). 'Mantiene' is a statement: 'He/She/It keeps' or 'You (usted) keep.' They are used for different purposes, even though they look similar.