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sustentar

soos-tehn-TAR/sustenˈtaɾ/

“sustentar” means “to support” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to support

Also: to hold up
VerbB1regular ar
A strong stone pillar holding up a heavy marble ceiling.
gerundsustentando
past Participlesustentado
infinitivesustentar

📝 In Action

Las columnas sustentan el techo del edificio.

A2

The columns support the roof of the building.

Es asombroso cómo esos hilos tan finos sustentan tanto peso.

B1

It's amazing how those thin threads hold up so much weight.

La base debe ser fuerte para sustentar la estatua.

B1

The base must be strong to support the statue.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • sustentar el peso – to support the weight
  • base que sustenta – the base that holds up

to back up

Also: to uphold, to provide for
VerbB2regular arformal
An old open book with a bright magnifying glass highlighting a specific piece of evidence.
gerundsustentando
past Participlesustentado
infinitivesustentar

📝 In Action

Tienes que sustentar tu teoría con datos reales.

B2

You have to back up your theory with real data.

Él trabaja en dos sitios para sustentar a su familia.

B1

He works in two places to provide for his family.

El juez sustentó su decisión en las leyes actuales.

C1

The judge based (upheld) his decision on current laws.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • sustentar una opinión – to hold/defend an opinion
  • sustentar una familia – to support/provide for a family
  • sustentar una tesis – to defend a thesis

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedessustentaran
yosustentara
túsustentaras
vosotrossustentarais
nosotrossustentáramos
él/ella/ustedsustentara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedessustenten
yosustente
túsustentes
vosotrossustentéis
nosotrossustentemos
él/ella/ustedsustente

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedessustentaron
yosustenté
túsustentaste
vosotrossustentasteis
nosotrossustentamos
él/ella/ustedsustentó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedessustentaban
yosustentaba
túsustentabas
vosotrossustentabais
nosotrossustentábamos
él/ella/ustedsustentaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedessustentan
yosustento
túsustentas
vosotrossustentáis
nosotrossustentamos
él/ella/ustedsustenta
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "sustentar" in Spanish:

to support→to uphold→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: sustentar

Question 1 of 3

Which word is best for saying a lawyer is 'backing up' their argument with evidence?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
sustento(livelihood/sustenance) — Noun
sustentable(sustainable) — Adjective
sustentación(support/lifting) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'sustentāre', which is a stronger form of 'sustinēre' (to hold up). It's made of 'sub-' (from below) and 'tenēre' (to hold).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: sustainFrench: soutenir

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'sustentar' the same as 'sostener'?

Almost. Both mean to hold something up. However, 'sustentar' is more formal and often implies providing everything needed for something to exist or be true (like a theory or a family's survival).

Does 'sustentar' mean the same as 'sustainable'?

No, 'sustentar' is a verb (to support). The adjective for 'sustainable' is 'sustentable' (common in Latin America) or 'sostenible' (common in Spain).

Can I use 'sustentar' for emotional support?

Not usually. For emotional support, use 'apoyar'. 'Sustentar' is for physical weight, financial needs, or logical arguments.