contenerse — Spanish conjugation
to restrain oneself
Indicative
Present (Presente) Irregular
The present tense is the most versatile tense in Spanish. It covers actions happening right now, habitual actions, and even near-future plans. One form does the work of three English constructions.
Ella habla inglés — She speaks / is speaking English
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me contengo |
| tú | te contienes |
| vos | te contenés |
| él/ella/Ud. | se contiene |
| nosotros | nos contenemos |
| vosotros | os contenéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se contienen |
Preterite (Pretérito indefinido) Irregular
Used for completed past actions with a defined endpoint — a single event, a series of events, or an action that interrupted another. Common with time expressions like ayer, el lunes, una vez.
Ella habló de ti ayer — She spoke about you yesterday
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me contuve |
| tú | te contuviste |
| vos | te contuviste |
| él/ella/Ud. | se contuvo |
| nosotros | nos contuvimos |
| vosotros | os contuvisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se contuvieron |
Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto) Regular
Describes ongoing or habitual past states — what things were like, background context, what used to happen. Contrasts with the preterite which marks completed events.
Cuando era niño vivía en Valencia — When I was a child I lived in Valencia
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me contenía |
| tú | te contenías |
| vos | te contenías |
| él/ella/Ud. | se contenía |
| nosotros | nos conteníamos |
| vosotros | os conteníais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se contenían |
Conditional (Condicional) Irregular
Expresses hypothetical actions, polite requests, and what would happen under certain conditions. Also used for reported speech about the future from a past perspective.
¿Podrías ayudarme? — Could you help me?
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me contendría |
| tú | te contendrías |
| vos | te contendrías |
| él/ella/Ud. | se contendría |
| nosotros | nos contendríamos |
| vosotros | os contendríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se contendrían |
Future (Futuro) Irregular
Expresses future actions, predictions, and probability about the present. Formed with the full infinitive as stem for most verbs. In spoken Spanish, ir a + infinitive is often preferred for near future.
Ella hablará en conferencia mañana — She will speak at the conference tomorrow
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me contendré |
| tú | te contendrás |
| vos | te contendrás |
| él/ella/Ud. | se contendrá |
| nosotros | nos contendremos |
| vosotros | os contendréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se contendrán |
Present perfect (Pretérito perfecto) Regular
A compound past tense linking a past action to the present moment — something that has happened and still feels recent or relevant. More common in Spain than Latin America where preterite is preferred.
Hoy he hablado con el jefe — Today I have spoken with the boss
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me he contenido |
| tú | te has contenido |
| vos | te has contenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | se ha contenido |
| nosotros | nos hemos contenido |
| vosotros | os habéis contenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se han contenido |
Pluperfect (Pretérito pluscuamperfecto) Regular
The past of the past — describes an action that was already completed before another past event happened. Always implies a reference point in the past.
Ya había hablado cuando llegaste — She had already spoken when you arrived
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me había contenido |
| tú | te habías contenido |
| vos | te habías contenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | se había contenido |
| nosotros | nos habíamos contenido |
| vosotros | os habíais contenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se habían contenido |
Conditional perfect (Condicional perfecto) Regular
Expresses what would have happened — actions that were possible but did not occur, or regrets about the past. Formed with conditional of haber + past participle.
Habría hablado, pero no me dejaron — I would have spoken, but they did not let me
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me habría contenido |
| tú | te habrías contenido |
| vos | te habrías contenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | se habría contenido |
| nosotros | nos habríamos contenido |
| vosotros | os habríais contenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se habrían contenido |
Future perfect (Futuro perfecto) Regular
Describes an action that will have been completed by a certain point in the future, or expresses probability about a recent past action.
Para el lunes habré terminado — By Monday I will have finished
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me habré contenido |
| tú | te habrás contenido |
| vos | te habrás contenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | se habrá contenido |
| nosotros | nos habremos contenido |
| vosotros | os habréis contenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se habrán contenido |
Subjunctive
Present subjunctive (Subjuntivo presente) Irregular
Used in subordinate clauses after expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, necessity, or impersonal statements. Triggered by a change of subject between the main and subordinate clause.
Espero que hable — I hope she speaks
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me contenga |
| tú | te contengas |
| vos | te contengas |
| él/ella/Ud. | se contenga |
| nosotros | nos contengamos |
| vosotros | os contengáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se contengan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-ra)) Irregular
The past subjunctive used after past main verbs, in if-clauses with conditional, and for polite softening. The -ra form is more common in everyday speech than the -se form.
Si pudiera, lo haría — If I could, I would do it
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me contuviera |
| tú | te contuvieras |
| vos | te contuvieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | se contuviera |
| nosotros | nos contuviéramos |
| vosotros | os contuvierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se contuvieran |
Imperfect subjunctive (-se) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-se)) Regular
The alternative past subjunctive form. Interchangeable with -ra in most contexts but slightly more literary or formal. Both forms are grammatically correct in all regions.
Si pudiese, lo haría — If I could, I would do it
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me contuviese |
| tú | te contuvieses |
| vos | te contuvieses |
| él/ella/Ud. | se contuviese |
| nosotros | nos contuviésemos |
| vosotros | os contuvieseis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se contuviesen |
Perfect subjunctive (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo) Regular
A compound subjunctive that expresses completed actions in a subjunctive context — used after present or future main verbs expressing doubt, emotion or desire.
Dudo que ya haya llegado — I doubt she has already arrived
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me haya contenido |
| tú | te hayas contenido |
| vos | te hayas contenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | se haya contenido |
| nosotros | nos hayamos contenido |
| vosotros | os hayáis contenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se hayan contenido |
Pluperfect subjunctive (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo) Regular
Expresses what had happened in hypothetical or unreal past contexts — the subjunctive equivalent of the pluperfect. Common in contrary-to-fact past conditions.
Si hubiera hablado, lo habrían creído — If she had spoken, they would have believed her
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me hubiera contenido |
| tú | te hubieras contenido |
| vos | te hubieras contenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | se hubiera contenido |
| nosotros | nos hubiéramos contenido |
| vosotros | os hubierais contenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se hubieran contenido |
Other forms
Present progressive (Presente progresivo) Irregular
Emphasises that an action is happening right now at this very moment. Less common than in English since the present tense already covers ongoing actions in Spanish.
Estoy hablando contigo — I am speaking with you
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estoy conteniendo |
| tú | te estás conteniendo |
| vos | te estás conteniendo |
| él/ella/Ud. | se está conteniendo |
| nosotros | nos estamos conteniendo |
| vosotros | os estáis conteniendo |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se están conteniendo |
Preterite progressive (Pretérito indefinido progresivo) Irregular
Describes an action that was in progress throughout a completed past period. Uses the preterite of estar + gerund to emphasise the ongoing nature within a defined timeframe.
Estuvo hablando toda la tarde — He was talking all afternoon
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estuve conteniendo |
| tú | te estuviste conteniendo |
| vos | te estuviste conteniendo |
| él/ella/Ud. | se estuvo conteniendo |
| nosotros | nos estuvimos conteniendo |
| vosotros | os estuvisteis conteniendo |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se estuvieron conteniendo |
Imperfect progressive (Pretérito imperfecto progresivo) Irregular
Emphasises an ongoing background action using the imperfect of estar + gerund. Layered on top of the imperfect which already conveys continuity — used for extra emphasis on the progressive nature.
Estaba hablando cuando entró — I was speaking when he came in
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estaba conteniendo |
| tú | te estabas conteniendo |
| vos | te estabas conteniendo |
| él/ella/Ud. | se estaba conteniendo |
| nosotros | nos estábamos conteniendo |
| vosotros | os estabais conteniendo |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se estaban conteniendo |
Conditional progressive (Condicional progresivo) Irregular
Expresses what would be in progress under hypothetical conditions. Uses the conditional of estar + gerund. Less common but used for emphasis on the ongoing nature of a hypothetical action.
Estaría hablando ahora si pudiera — I would be speaking now if I could
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estaría conteniendo |
| tú | te estarías conteniendo |
| vos | te estarías conteniendo |
| él/ella/Ud. | se estaría conteniendo |
| nosotros | nos estaríamos conteniendo |
| vosotros | os estaríais conteniendo |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se estarían conteniendo |
Future progressive (Futuro progresivo) Irregular
Describes an action that will be in progress at a future point, or expresses probability about an ongoing present action. Uses the future of estar + gerund.
Mañana a esta hora estaré viajando — At this time tomorrow I will be travelling
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estaré conteniendo |
| tú | te estarás conteniendo |
| vos | te estarás conteniendo |
| él/ella/Ud. | se estará conteniendo |
| nosotros | nos estaremos conteniendo |
| vosotros | os estaréis conteniendo |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se estarán conteniendo |