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[suʃ.tẽ.tɐ.sə]
verb
sustains itself / is sustained / supports oneself
1. Third person singular present reflexive form of 'sustentar'; to support oneself, to be maintained or upheld
The argument sustains itself on solid evidence.
O argumento sustenta-se em evidências sólidas.
2. To maintain oneself financially or materially; to earn one's living
She sustains herself through her work as a teacher.
Ela sustenta-se com seu trabalho como professora.
3. To be supported or held up physically
The structure sustains itself without additional support.
A estrutura sustenta-se sem suporte adicional.
Regional Variations
General Brazilian
sustenta-se
Standard usage across Brazil
São Paulo
sustenta-se
Common formal and informal usage
Rio de Janeiro
sustenta-se
Standard usage, may be replaced colloquially with 'se vira'
Portugal
sustenta-se
Standard usage, identical to Brazilian Portuguese
Related Idioms & Phrases
sustenta-se com o próprio trabalho - supports oneself through one's own work
sustenta-se em base sólida - stands on solid ground
sustenta-se à custa de - sustains itself at the expense of
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