The Subjunctive Mood of Mantener is used to express wishes, desires, or uncertainty about maintaining something, for example: Espero que mantengas tu promesa. (I hope you keep your promise.)

Mantener is an irregular verb in the Subjunctive Mood, meaning its conjugations do not follow a set pattern and must be memorized individually.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Mantener (to maintain) in the Subjunctive Mood tense (Latin American Spanish):

The present subjunctive of mantener is used to express wishes, desires, demands, or uncertainty about something in the present tense.

To express a wish or desire: For example, Espero que mantengas tu promesa. (I hope you keep your promise.)

To express a demand or recommendation: For example, Es importante que mantengas la calma. (It’s important that you remain calm.)

To express uncertainty or doubt: For example, No creo que mantenga su trabajo. (I don’t think he’ll keep his job.)

To maintain or keep something in a certain state (literal meaning): For example, Necesito que mantengas la puerta abierta. (I need you to keep the door open.)

To support or sustain someone financially (colloquial): For example, Mis padres me mantienen mientras estudio. (My parents support me while I study.)

To keep a relationship going (idiomatic): For example, No sé cómo mantener esta relación. (I don’t know how to keep this relationship going.)

Examples

Examples of Mantener in the Subjunctive Mood

Es importante que mantengas la calma en situaciones estresantes. (It’s important that you remain calm in stressful situations.)

El instructor dijo que mantengamos una buena postura durante la clase de yoga. (The instructor said that we should maintain good posture during the yoga class.)

Aunque sea difícil, es necesario que mantengas una actitud positiva. (Although it’s difficult, it’s necessary that you maintain a positive attitude.)

Espero que mantengan su compromiso con el proyecto hasta el final. (I hope they maintain their commitment to the project until the end.)

Para conservar la energía, es mejor que mantengamos las luces apagadas cuando no las necesitemos. (To conserve energy, it’s better that we keep the lights off when we don’t need them.)

Ojalá que mantenga su promesa de visitarnos pronto. (I hope he keeps his promise to visit us soon.)

Es fundamental que mantengas una buena higiene personal para prevenir enfermedades. (It’s essential that you maintain good personal hygiene to prevent illnesses.)

Sugiero que mantengamos una comunicación abierta y honesta en nuestra relación. (I suggest that we maintain open and honest communication in our relationship.)

Aunque cueste trabajo, es importante que mantengan el orden y la limpieza en la oficina. (Although it’s hard work, it’s important that they maintain order and cleanliness in the office.)

Para tener éxito en tus estudios, es necesario que mantengas una rutina de estudio constante. (To be successful in your studies, it’s necessary that you maintain a consistent study routine.)

Independientemente de las circunstancias, es crucial que mantenga la compostura en todo momento. (Regardless of the circumstances, it’s crucial that he maintains his composure at all times.)

Aunque sea tentador, es mejor que no mantengas esos hábitos poco saludables. (Although it’s tempting, it’s better that you don’t maintain those unhealthy habits.)

Para conservar una buena salud mental, es recomendable que mantengas un equilibrio entre el trabajo y la vida personal. (To maintain good mental health, it’s recommended that you maintain a balance between work and personal life.)

Espero que mantengan su amistad a pesar de las diferencias que puedan surgir. (I hope they maintain their friendship despite any differences that may arise.)

Es importante que mantengamos una actitud respetuosa hacia las tradiciones y costumbres locales cuando viajamos. (It’s important that we maintain a respectful attitude towards local traditions and customs when we travel.)

Conjugations with English Translations

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

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

Synonyms

The Subjunctive mood is also known as the Simple Subjunctive, Subjunctive Present, or Present Subjunctive Mood in English, and as Presente de Subjuntivo, Subjuntivo Presente, Presente del Modo Subjuntivo, or Tiempo Presente del Subjuntivo in Spanish.