The Present Tense of Sostener is used to describe actions happening now or habitual actions, for example, Sostengo el libro en mis manos. (I’m holding the book in my hands.)

Sostener is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations don’t follow the standard patterns of regular verbs.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Sostener (to hold) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Sostener generally means to hold, support or maintain something, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To hold or support physically: for example, Yo sostengo la caja pesada. (I hold the heavy box.)

To maintain or uphold: for example, Ellos sostienen una conversación interesante. (They maintain an interesting conversation.)

To claim or argue: for example, Ustedes sostienen que la tierra es plana. (You claim that the earth is flat.)

To endure or withstand: for example, Nosotros sostenemos la presión del trabajo. (We withstand the pressure of work.)

To financially support: for example, Él sostiene a su familia con su sueldo. (He supports his family with his salary.)

Slang: To put up with or tolerate: for example, ¿Cómo sostienes a ese tipo tan molesto? (How do you put up with that annoying guy?)

Examples

Examples of Sostener in the Present Tense

Yo sostengo que debemos reciclar más. (I maintain that we should recycle more.)

Tú sostienes la caja mientras yo abro la puerta. (You hold the box while I open the door.)

Ella sostiene una posición de liderazgo en su empresa. (She holds a leadership position in her company.)

Nosotros sostenemos una conversación animada durante la cena. (We engage in a lively conversation during dinner.)

Ellos sostienen que el cambio climático es una amenaza real. (They maintain that climate change is a real threat.)

¿Sostienes la misma opinión que tu hermano? (Do you hold the same opinion as your brother?)

La policía sostiene que el sospechoso actuó solo. (The police maintain that the suspect acted alone.)

Los manifestantes sostienen carteles con mensajes de protesta. (The protesters hold signs with messages of protest.)

Mi amiga sostiene que el yoga la ayuda a relajarse. (My friend maintains that yoga helps her relax.)

Los padres sostienen a sus hijos mientras cruzan la calle. (The parents hold their children’s hands while crossing the street.)

El equipo sostiene su racha ganadora en el campeonato. (The team maintains their winning streak in the championship.)

¿Sostienes la puerta para mí, por favor? (Can you hold the door for me, please?)

El gobierno sostiene que la economía está mejorando. (The government maintains that the economy is improving.)

Los científicos sostienen que la vida en otros planetas es posible. (Scientists maintain that life on other planets is possible.)

Ella sostiene su argumento con datos sólidos. (She supports her argument with solid data.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Sostener (to hold) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.