Meaning and Usage
The verb hold means to grasp, carry, or support something with your hands or arms. It can also refer to keeping or maintaining a position, opinion, or state. The past tense of hold is held, which is an irregular form.
Conjugations
The verb hold is irregular in the past tense and past participle form. It does not follow the regular -ed ending rule.
| English Pronoun | English Conjugation | Spanish Conjugation | English Example | Spanish Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | hold / held | sostengo / sostuve | I hold the book. | Yo sostengo el libro. |
| You | hold / held | sostienes / sostuviste | You hold the door open. | Tú sostienes la puerta abierta. |
| He/She/It | holds / held | sostiene / sostuvo | She holds the baby gently. | Ella sostiene al bebé con cuidado. |
| We | hold / held | sostenemos / sostuvimos | We hold the meeting today. | Nosotros sostenemos la reunión hoy. |
| You (plural) | hold / held | sostienen / sostuvieron | You hold the tickets. | Ustedes sostienen los boletos. |
| They | hold / held | sostienen / sostuvieron | They held a party last night. | Ellos sostuvieron una fiesta anoche. |
Common Expressions with Hold
The verb hold is used in many common expressions such as hold on (wait), hold back (restrain), hold up (delay or rob), and hold out (last or endure). These idiomatic uses often add variety to the verb's meaning in conversational and written English.
Tips for Learning
Remember that held is the past tense and past participle form of hold and does not change regardless of the pronoun. Practice making sentences in the past to get familiar with its use. Also, watch for phrasal verbs using hold for additional meaning.
