The preterite of mantener is used to express when someone maintained or kept something for a specific period in the past. For example, “She maintained her position despite the pressure” – “Mantuvo su posición a pesar de la presión.”
This is an irregular verb in the preterite tense. Like tener, it uses the stem ‘tuv-‘ throughout all conjugations.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Mantener (to maintain) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | mantuve |
| Tú | mantuviste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | mantuvo |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | mantuvimos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | mantuvisteis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | mantuvieron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Mantener (to maintain) in the Preterite (Past) Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Mantener in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of mantener expresses completed actions of maintaining or keeping.
To maintain/keep: Used for sustaining a state or condition, for example Mantuve mi promesa (I kept my promise), or Mantuvieron el secreto durante años (They maintained the secret for years).
To support/provide for: Can refer to supporting or sustaining others, for example Mantuvo a su familia con su trabajo (She supported her family with her work).
Examples
Examples of Mantener in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Mantuve la calma durante la crisis. (I maintained calm during the crisis.)
El equipo mantuvo su ventaja hasta el final. (The team maintained their lead until the end.)
¿Cómo mantuviste el secreto tanto tiempo? (How did you keep the secret for so long?)
Mantuvimos el contacto después de graduarnos. (We maintained contact after graduating.)
Los precios se mantuvieron estables todo el año. (Prices remained stable all year.)
El gobierno mantuvo su posición firme. (The government maintained its firm position.)
Mantuviste tu promesa hasta el final. (You kept your promise until the end.)
La empresa mantuvo su reputación intacta. (The company maintained its reputation intact.)
Mantuvimos la tradición familiar. (We maintained the family tradition.)
Se mantuvieron unidos en los momentos difíciles. (They stayed united in difficult times.)
Mantuve mi palabra a pesar de todo. (I kept my word despite everything.)
El edificio mantuvo su estructura original. (The building maintained its original structure.)
Mantuvieron el orden durante el evento. (They maintained order during the event.)
Mantuviste la compostura admirablemente. (You maintained your composure admirably.)
El artista mantuvo su estilo único. (The artist maintained their unique style.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Mantener (to maintain) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo mantuve | I maintained |
| Tú mantuviste | You maintained |
| Él / Ella / Usted mantuvo | He / She / You (formal) maintained |
| Nosotros / Nosotras mantuvimos | We maintained |
| Vosotros / Vosotras mantuvisteis | You all maintained |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes mantuvieron | They / You all (formal) maintained |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.