sostiene

Sostiene is a present tense verb form used in Spanish and Italian. In both languages, sostiene can express physically supporting or holding something up, as well as more abstract meanings such as upholding a position, maintaining an argument, or asserting something. The form functions as the third-person singular of a larger verb family in each language: in Spanish from sostener, and in Italian from sostenere.

In Spanish, sostiene corresponds to the él/ella/usted form in the present indicative of sostener. Other present forms include sostengo, sostienes, sostenemos, sostenéis, sostienen. Sostiene is commonly used in contexts such as sostiene la puerta (he holds the door), sostiene una teoría (he maintains a theory), or sostiene que llegaremos a tiempo (he claims that we will arrive on time).

In Italian, sostieni is the second-person singular and sostiene is the third-person singular present indicative of sostenere. The conjugation for sostener e sostenere in the present tense is sostengo, sostieni, sostiene, sosteniamo, sostenete, sostengono. Sostiene is used with he/she/you formal subject, as in sostiene una tesi (he/she maintains a thesis) or sostiene che (he/she claims that). It can also mean to physically support, as in sostiene il peso di qualcosa (supports the weight of something).

Etymology: sostiene in Spanish and Italian derives from Latin sustinere or sustentare, linked to the English “sustain.” The meanings converge around supporting, maintaining, or asserting, though usage and nuance vary by language.

See also: sostener (ES), sostenere (IT).