The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Sostener is used to give direct orders or instructions to support, hold up, or maintain something, for example Sostén la caja mientras subo las escaleras. (Hold up the box while I go up the stairs.)

Sostener is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow the typical patterns of regular verbs. You’ll need to memorize its unique set of conjugations for each tense and mood.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Sostener (to hold up) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

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

To hold or support physically: for example, ¡Sostén este libro! (Hold this book!)

To maintain or uphold: for example, ¡Sostén tu posición! (Maintain your position!)

To endure or withstand: for example, ¡Sostén el dolor! (Endure the pain!)

To claim or assert: for example, ¡Sostén tu argumento! (Maintain your argument!)

To financially support: for example, ¡Sostén a tu familia! (Support your family!)

Colloquially, to endure or put up with: for example, ¡Sostén a tu suegra! (Put up with your mother-in-law!)

Examples

Examples of Sostener in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Sostén la puerta para mí, por favor! (Hold the door for me, please!)

Mamá, sostengamos las manos mientras cruzamos la calle. (Mom, let’s hold hands while we cross the street.)

Señor, sostenga el bebé con cuidado. (Sir, hold the baby carefully.)

Amigos, sostengan sus copas. Voy a hacer un brindis. (Friends, hold your glasses. I’m going to make a toast.)

En la clase de yoga, el instructor dijo: “Sostengan esta posición por treinta segundos.” (In the yoga class, the instructor said: “Hold this position for thirty seconds.”)

Antes de subir al avión, sostén tu boleto con firmeza. (Before boarding the plane, hold your ticket firmly.)

¿Puedes sostener mi bolso mientras saco las llaves? (Can you hold my bag while I get my keys out?)

En la boda, el padrino dijo: “Sostengan sus aplausos hasta que los novios se besen.” (At the wedding, the best man said: “Hold your applause until the newlyweds kiss.”)

Hija, sostenga este ramo de flores mientras camino por el pasillo. (Daughter, hold this bouquet of flowers while I walk down the aisle.)

Compañeros, sostengamos un minuto de silencio por las víctimas. (Colleagues, let’s hold a minute of silence for the victims.)

En el gimnasio, el entrenador gritó: “¡Sostengan esa posición! ¡No se rindan!” (At the gym, the trainer shouted: “Hold that position! Don’t give up!”)

Antes de colgar el cuadro, sostén el martillo con cuidado. (Before hanging the picture, hold the hammer carefully.)

Mamá, ¿puedes sostener mi mano? Tengo miedo de los truenos. (Mom, can you hold my hand? I’m afraid of the thunder.)

En la protesta, el líder gritó: “¡Sostengan sus carteles en alto!” (At the protest, the leader shouted: “Hold your signs up high!”)

Antes de cortar las verduras, sostenga el cuchillo firmemente. (Before cutting the vegetables, hold the knife firmly.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Sostener (to hold up) 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.