mantenido
“mantenido” means “maintained” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
maintained
Also: kept up, held
📝 In Action
El parque está muy bien mantenido, siempre luce limpio.
B1The park is very well maintained; it always looks clean.
Debido a la crisis, el precio de la gasolina se ha mantenido alto.
B2Due to the crisis, the price of gasoline has been kept high.
kept man
Also: sugar baby (male)
📝 In Action
Él dejó su trabajo y ahora es un mantenido de su pareja.
B2He quit his job and now he is a kept man by his partner.
A nadie le gusta que lo llamen mantenido, es un insulto fuerte.
C1Nobody likes to be called a kept person; it's a strong insult.
maintained
📝 In Action
Siempre hemos mantenido nuestra promesa.
A2We have always maintained our promise.
¿Quién ha mantenido la luz encendida toda la noche?
A2Who has kept the light on all night?
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: mantenido
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'mantenido' in its informal, derogatory sense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
'Mantenido' comes from the verb 'mantener,' which traces back to the Latin phrase *manu tenēre*, meaning 'to hold in the hand.' This original meaning of holding or supporting is why the word means 'maintained' or 'supported financially.'
First recorded: Medieval Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'mantenido' always an insult?
No. When used as a past participle with 'haber' (e.g., 'ha mantenido') or as an adjective describing an object (e.g., 'bien mantenido'), it is neutral. It is only insulting when used as a noun referring to a person who is financially supported by a partner ('un mantenido').
Is 'mantenido' an irregular past participle?
No, it follows the regular '-ido' pattern. However, the root verb 'mantener' is irregular in its present tense conjugation, following the pattern of 'tener' (to have).