sostenersi

Sostenersi is a pronominal Italian verb meaning to support oneself or to rely on someone else for support. In reflexive use it indicates self-sustaining action, while in reciprocal use sostenersi a vicenda expresses mutual support among people or groups. The verb shares its root with sostenere, from Latin sustinere, meaning to hold up or uphold.

Grammatical note: As a pronominal verb, sostenersi uses essere as the auxiliary in compound tenses (mi sono sostenuto, ci siamo sostenuti), with the participle agreeing in gender and number. It often takes complements indicating sources of support: economic, emotional, or practical. For example: "Mi sostengo economicamente grazie al lavoro" or "Ci siamo sostenuti a vicenda durante la crisi." The expression "sostenersi a vicenda" highlights reciprocity.

Usage: Common in contexts of personal autonomy, welfare, relationships, and social solidarity. It can refer to personal resilience: "bisogna sapersi sostenere in momenti difficili." In social discourse, it can describe communities or networks that reinforce one another.

See also: sostenere, mantenere, appoggiare, solidarietà, resilienza.