mantuvo

Mantuvo is the third-person singular form of the Spanish verb mantener in the pretérito perfecto simple (preterite) indicative. It corresponds to “he kept,” “she kept,” or “you kept” in formal address (usted) and is used to describe actions or states that were completed in the past. The form is part of the irregular preterite conjugation of mantener, which uses the stem mantuv- in most past-tense forms.

Grammatical notes

In the preterite, mantener changes to mantuv- for all singular and plural persons except the yo form, which is mantuve. The full preterite paradigm is: mantuve, mantuviste, mantuvo, mantuvimos, mantuvisteis, mantuvieron. Mantuvo specifically is the third-person singular form (él/ella/usted). This verb form is used in narrative past contexts to indicate that someone kept, held, or maintained something, whether a physical object, a stance, a promise, or a condition.

Etymology and usage

Mantener derives from the Latin manu tenēre, meaning “to hold in the hand” or “to support.” In modern Spanish, mantener covers a broad range of meanings related to keeping or preserving something, such as maintaining a position, keeping a promise, or sustaining a condition or level. Mantuvo appears in literary and everyday speech when referring to a past, completed action by a third-person subject.

Examples

El equipo mantuvo la presión hasta el final. Ella mantuvo su promesa a pesar de las dificultades. Usted mantuvo la puerta cerrada para seguridad.