mantiene
/man-tee-EH-neh/
keeps
Mantiene (keeps) means maintaining a state or condition, like keeping a block tower from falling.
mantiene(verb)
keeps
?maintains a state or condition
,maintains
?keeps in good working order
preserves
?keeps intact
📝 In Action
Ella mantiene su coche muy limpio.
A2She keeps her car very clean.
El presidente mantiene su promesa de subir los salarios.
B1The president maintains his promise to raise salaries.
¿Cómo se mantiene la calma en situaciones de estrés?
B1How does one maintain calm in stressful situations?
💡 Grammar Points
Irregularity Pattern
The verb 'mantener' follows the same pattern as 'tener' (to have). Just remember the 'man-' prefix and conjugate it like 'tener' (e.g., 'tengo' -> 'mantengo', 'tiene' -> 'mantiene').
⭐ Usage Tips
State vs. Action
'Mantiene' often describes a continuous state or effort, not a single action. Think of it as 'keeping on doing something' or 'keeping something in place'.
Mantiene (supports) means financially providing for someone.
mantiene(verb)
supports
?financially provides for
,provides for
?gives money/necessities to
feeds
?provides food for (formal)
📝 In Action
Su trabajo mantiene a toda su familia.
B1His job supports his entire family.
El gobierno mantiene un programa de ayuda social.
B2The government maintains (funds) a social aid program.
Mantiene (upholds) means affirming a position or ruling.
mantiene(verb)
upholds
?affirms a position or ruling
,sustains
?keeps going under pressure
affirms
?maintains a decision
📝 In Action
A pesar de la crítica, él mantiene su argumento original.
B2Despite the criticism, he upholds his original argument.
La estructura de la torre se mantiene incluso con viento fuerte.
C1The structure of the tower sustains itself even with strong wind.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mantiene
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'mantiene' in the sense of 'financially supports'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'mantiene' spelled with 'ie' even though the infinitive is 'mantener'?
'Mantiene' is an irregular verb that follows a pattern called a stem change, just like the verb 'tener' (to have). In the present tense, the 'e' in the middle changes to 'ie' for most forms (tienes, mantiene, tienen), but not for 'nosotros' (mantenemos) or 'vosotros' (mantenéis).
If 'mantiene' means 'he maintains,' how do I say 'I maintain'?
The 'yo' (I) form is also irregular! You must say 'yo mantengo'. Remember the 'go' ending, just like 'yo tengo' (I have).