Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mantenimiento | /manteniˈmjento/ | masculine |
| manutención | /manutenˈθjon/ /manutenˈsjon/ |
feminine |
Use mantenimiento when referring to the upkeep of machinery, software, buildings or technical systems. In contrast, use manutención when referring to the financial support or sustenance provided to a person, such as child support or alimony.
Which one should you use?
Mantenimiento is the technical or general term used for the upkeep of machines, systems or buildings. Manutención is a legal or personal term used specifically for the maintenance of a person or a standard of living.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the phrase arreglo y mantenimiento is often used to emphasize that both repair and maintenance are being addressed. In several Latin American countries, the word mantención may be used occasionally in casual conversations.
How does it change in a sentence?
Mantenimiento is a masculine noun and is used with the masculine article el (el mantenimiento). Manutención is a feminine noun and is used with the feminine article la (la manutención).
How do you pronounce it?
/manteniˈmjento/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using manutención to mean the technical upkeep of a machine. This is a common error for English speakers.
Did you know?
- If you ask a technician to handle the manutención of a car, they might think you are asking them to provide financial alimony for the vehicle instead of fixing it.
- The suffix in mantenimiento comes from the Late Latin *-mentum*, a common building block for many English nouns ending in '-ment', such as 'movement' or 'equipment'.
Examples in context
- El sistema está en mantenimiento.The system is under maintenance.This sentence shows how to describe a system that is currently undergoing mantenimiento.Tatoeba #4025696 by gianich73, translation #2507332 by corvard
- Muchos sitios arqueológicos están en riesgo por poco mantenimiento.Many archeological sites are at risk due to poor maintenance.This sentence uses mantenimiento to describe the risk faced by sites due to lack of upkeep.Tatoeba #2129430 by marcelostockle, translation #2128969 by Chrikaru
- Él estuvo a cargo de la manutención en la fábrica de chocolate.He was in charge of maintenance at the chocolate factory.This sentence demonstrates the use of manutención in the context of being in charge of maintenance at a facility.Tatoeba #1408551 by marcelostockle, translation #1135448 by AlanF_US
- Se requiere un mantenimiento regular para garantizar el correcto funcionamiento del equipo.Regular maintenance is required to ensure the proper functioning of the equipment.
- No olvides hacerle el mantenimiento a tu bicicleta después de cada paseo.Don't forget to maintain your bicycle after every ride.
- Es importante llevar a cabo el arreglo y mantenimiento del vehículo antes de un largo viaje.It is important to carry out the repair and maintenance of the vehicle before a long trip.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are discussing a problem with the office elevator.
- DanielMaría, el ascensor no funciona hoy.María, the elevator is not working today.
- MaríaEs por el mantenimiento preventivo, Daniel.It is because of the preventive maintenance, Daniel.
- Daniel¿Cuánto durará el mantenimiento?How long will the maintenance last?
- MaríaTerminarán el mantenimiento en una hora.They will finish the maintenance in an hour.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “maintenance” translations and entries mantenimiento, manutención, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mantenimiento, manutención, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
