sostenerlo

Sostenerlo is the combination of the Spanish verb sostener with the clitic pronoun lo, used to refer to a masculine singular object. The base verb sostener means to hold up, support, sustain, or maintain, in both physical and abstract senses. Sostenerlo, therefore, can mean “to hold it up,” “to support it,” or “to uphold it,” depending on the context.

Usage is broad. Literally, you can say sostenerlo for holding a weight or a structure, as in “Voy a sostenerlo con la mano” or “Los pilares sostienen la estructura.” Figuratively, sostenerlo is common when talking about supporting a claim, idea, or position: “Sostener una teoría” or “Sostener una postura.” It can also refer to maintaining someone or something financially or emotionally: “La familia sostiene a sus hijos.”

Grammar notes: sostener is an irregular verb. In the present indicative, its forms are sostengo, sostienes, sostiene, sostenemos, sostienen. In the preterite it is sostuve, sostuviste, sostuvo, sostuvimos, sostuvieron. The present subjunctive forms are sostenga, sostengas, sostenga, sostengamos, sostengan. In the imperative, the affirmative tú form is sostén (or sosténlo with the object pronoun), while the formal usted form is sostenga; negative tú is no sostengas. When attaching a direct object pronoun, you can form sostenerlo, sostenerla, sostenerlos, etc., depending on gender and number.

Etymology: sostener derives from Latin sustinēre or sustentāre, meaning to hold up or sustain, and is related to sustento or sostén in related languages.