Mantenerlos

Mantenerlos is a Spanish non-finite verb form derived from the verb mantener combined with the attached direct object pronoun los. The sequence equals the infinitive mantener with a masculine plural indirect object reference, typically meaning “to keep them.” It is not a stand-alone noun or separate lexical item, but a cliticised construction used in sentences to refer to previously mentioned masculine plural entities.

Formation and usage

When the sentence uses a finite verb, the pronoun los generally precedes the conjugated verb: Tenemos que mantenerlos a salvo. When the sentence employs an infinitive or a gerund, the pronoun is attached to the end of the non-finite form: Mantenerlos es una prioridad; Manteniéndolos informados, se ganan su confianza. The gerund form adds an accent to preserve the original stress: manteniéndolos. For affirmative commands in the tú form, the form is manténlos (with an accent on mantén). For feminine objects, the corresponding pronoun is las: mantenerlas.

Examples and nuances

Mantenerlos can refer to keeping people, animals, or masculine plural objects in a desired state or condition, such as seguros, informados, or unidos. The pronoun must agree with the antecedent in gender and number. When the object is feminine or mixed gender, use las or a mixed form accordingly (mantenerlas, mantenerlos). The construction is common in both formal and everyday Spanish, across dialects, with the pronoun placement adapting to the surrounding verbal structure.

See also

Direct object pronouns in Spanish; clitic pronouns; verb conjugation and non-finite forms; mantener etymology and usage.