mantenerte
“mantenerte” means “to keep yourself” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to keep yourself, to stay
Also: to hold yourself
📝 In Action
Tienes que aprender a mantenerte tranquilo en situaciones difíciles.
B1You have to learn to keep yourself calm in difficult situations.
¿Cómo logras mantenerte tan concentrado todo el tiempo?
A2How do you manage to stay so focused all the time?
Es difícil mantenerte al día con todas las noticias.
B2It's hard to keep yourself up to date with all the news.
to support yourself
Also: to sustain yourself
📝 In Action
Necesitas un buen trabajo para mantenerte en esta ciudad tan cara.
B1You need a good job to support yourself in this expensive city.
Después de la universidad, su primer objetivo fue mantenerte sin ayuda.
B2After university, your first goal was to support yourself without help.
to stay in shape
Also: to maintain your health
📝 In Action
Hago ejercicio todos los días para mantenerte en forma.
A2I exercise every day to keep you in shape. (Note: This is often used in advice, like 'I do this so you can learn to do it')
Para mantenerte saludable, debes comer muchas verduras.
A2To keep yourself healthy, you should eat lots of vegetables.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "mantenerte" in Spanish:
to stay→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: mantenerte
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'mantenerte' in the context of physical health?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word 'mantener' comes from the Latin *manu tenēre*, literally meaning 'to hold with the hand.' This original meaning of firm physical support evolved into the modern sense of keeping something (or yourself) in a certain condition.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'mantener' and 'mantenerte'?
'Mantener' is the base verb meaning 'to maintain' or 'to keep' something else (e.g., 'Mantengo la casa limpia' / I keep the house clean). 'Mantenerte' adds the 'te,' meaning the action is focused on 'you' (e.g., 'Tienes que mantenerte limpio' / You have to keep yourself clean).
Why is 'mantener' considered irregular?
It is irregular because it follows the pattern of the verb 'tener' (to have). In the present tense, it changes its vowel (e→ie: mantienes) and has an irregular 'yo' form (mantengo). It also has an unpredictable stem in the future and preterite tenses (mantendr- and mantuv-).