How to Say "to retain" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to retain” is “conservar” — use 'conservar' when talking about maintaining a quality, state, or memory over time, often implying preservation.
Use 'conservar' when talking about maintaining a quality, state, or memory over time, often implying preservation.
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Use 'retener' when referring to the act of holding onto or keeping something, especially information, knowledge, or data, or in a more technical sense of withholding something.
Learn more →kon-ser-VARkon.seɾˈβaɾ
Examples
Ella conserva la calma incluso en situaciones difíciles.
She keeps (or retains) her calm even in difficult situations.
Es difícil conservar el optimismo después de esa noticia.
It is difficult to retain optimism after that news.
Logró conservar su puesto de trabajo a pesar de los recortes.
He managed to keep his job despite the cutbacks.
rreh-teh-NEHRre.teˈner
Examples
Me cuesta retener los nombres de las personas.
I have a hard time remembering people's names.
Ella retiene mucha información después de leer un libro.
She retains a lot of information after reading a book.
Los niños retienen mejor el vocabulario con juegos.
Children remember vocabulary better through games.
La empresa retiene los impuestos de mi nómina.
The company withholds taxes from my payroll.
Mind vs. Hands
While 'retener' usually refers to holding something physical, when used with words like 'información' or 'nombres,' it describes the mental act of keeping it in your head.
Formal Contexts
In legal or financial contexts, the action is usually done by an authority (bank, police, government) to a person or their property.
Using 'recordar' for everything
Mistake: “No puedo recordar los números.”
Correction: While 'recordar' works, 'retener' is better when you mean the ability to keep the numbers in your mind over time.
rreh-teh-NEHRre.teˈner
Examples
La empresa retiene los impuestos de mi nómina.
The company withholds taxes from my payroll.
Me cuesta retener los nombres de las personas.
I have a hard time remembering people's names.
Ella retiene mucha información después de leer un libro.
She retains a lot of information after reading a book.
Los niños retienen mejor el vocabulario con juegos.
Children remember vocabulary better through games.
Mind vs. Hands
While 'retener' usually refers to holding something physical, when used with words like 'información' or 'nombres,' it describes the mental act of keeping it in your head.
Formal Contexts
In legal or financial contexts, the action is usually done by an authority (bank, police, government) to a person or their property.
Using 'recordar' for everything
Mistake: “No puedo recordar los números.”
Correction: While 'recordar' works, 'retener' is better when you mean the ability to keep the numbers in your mind over time.
Conservar vs. Retener
Learners often confuse 'conservar' and 'retener' because both can mean 'to keep'. Remember that 'conservar' is more about preserving a state or quality (like calm or a memory), while 'retener' is more about the active act of holding onto something, especially information or data.
Related Translations
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