The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Mantener is used to give direct orders or instructions to maintain or keep something, for example Mantén la calma. (Keep calm.)

Mantener is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow the typical patterns of regular verbs.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Mantener (to maintain) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

Mantener generally means to maintain, keep or hold something, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

To maintain or keep something in a certain condition: for example, ¡Mantengan la casa limpia! (Keep the house clean!)

To preserve or sustain something: for example, ¡Mantengan la calma! (Keep calm!)

To continue doing something: for example, ¡Mantengan trabajando! (Keep working!)

To support or provide for someone: for example, ¡Mantengan a sus hijos! (Support your children!)

To persist or insist (colloquial): for example, ¡Mantengan insistiendo! (Keep insisting!)

To keep quiet or shut up (rude): for example, ¡Mantengan la boca cerrada! (Shut your mouths!)

Examples

Examples of Mantener in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Mantén la calma! No entres en pánico. (Keep calm! Don’t panic.)

Amigos, mantengamos la fe en nuestro equipo. ¡Aún podemos ganar! (Friends, let’s keep the faith in our team. We can still win!)

Señoras y señores, mantengan sus boletos a mano para el control de acceso. (Ladies and gentlemen, keep your tickets handy for the access check.)

Mamá, mantén tu habitación ordenada mientras estoy fuera. (Mom, keep your room tidy while I’m away.)

Oye viejo, mantén la mente abierta, ¿sí? Hay mucho por aprender. (Hey man, keep an open mind, alright? There’s a lot to learn.)

En esta empresa, mantengamos altos estándares de calidad en nuestros productos. (In this company, let’s maintain high quality standards for our products.)

Chicos, mantengan el volumen bajo por respeto a los vecinos. (Guys, keep the volume down out of respect for the neighbors.)

Para evitar discusiones, mantén la calma y escucha con atención. (To avoid arguments, keep calm and listen carefully.)

Viajeros, mantengan sus pertenencias cerca en las áreas concurridas. (Travelers, keep your belongings close in crowded areas.)

Hijo, mantén tus promesas y sé un hombre de palabra. (Son, keep your promises and be a man of your word.)

Equipo, mantengamos el enfoque en nuestras metas y trabajemos duro. (Team, let’s keep our focus on our goals and work hard.)

En esta familia, mantengamos la tradición de reunirnos en Navidad. (In this family, let’s keep the tradition of gathering at Christmas.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Mantener (to maintain) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.