The Versatile Verb for Placement and Action
The Spanish verb poner is incredibly versatile, meaning “to put,” “to place,” or “to set.” This irregular verb is used in numerous contexts from physical placement to initiating actions. Mastering poner will significantly expand your ability to describe arrangements, preparations, and various activities in Spanish.
Quick Navigation:
- Poner Conjugation Charts
- Complete conjugation tables for all tenses of Poner.
- Physical Placement
- Initiating Actions
- Common Phrases & Expressions
- Practice Exercises
- Test Your Knowledge
Complete Poner Conjugation Charts
Present Tense Conjugation
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | pongo | Yo pongo la mesa. (I set the table.) |
| Tú | pones | Tú pones los libros en la estantería. (You put the books on the shelf.) |
| Él/Ella/Usted | pone | Ella pone la radio. (She turns on the radio.) |
| Nosotros | ponemos | Nosotros ponemos atención. (We pay attention.) |
| Vosotros | ponéis | Vosotros ponéis la comida. (You all put the food.) |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | ponen | Ellos ponen el dinero. (They put the money.) |
Preterite Tense Conjugation
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | puse | Yo puse el vestido rojo. (I put on the red dress.) |
| Tú | pusiste | Tú pusiste la alarma. (You set the alarm.) |
| Él/Ella/Usted | puso | Él puso la televisión. (He turned on the television.) |
| Nosotros | pusimos | Nosotros pusimos las flores. (We put the flowers.) |
| Vosotros | pusisteis | Vosotros pusisteis la mesa. (You all set the table.) |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | pusieron | Ellos pusieron la fecha. (They set the date.) |
Imperfect Tense Conjugation
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | ponía | Yo ponía la mesa cada noche. (I used to set the table every night.) |
| Tú | ponías | Tú ponías música clásica. (You used to play classical music.) |
| Él/Ella/Usted | ponía | Mi madre ponía flores. (My mother used to put flowers.) |
| Nosotros | poníamos | Nosotros poníamos atención. (We used to pay attention.) |
| Vosotros | poníais | Vosotros poníais el mantel. (You all used to put the tablecloth.) |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | ponían | Ellos ponían esfuerzo. (They used to put effort.) |
[SEE FULL PONER CONJUGATION PAGE]
View complete conjugation tables for all tenses of Poner.
Physical Placement
Poner for physical arrangement:
- poner la mesa (to set the table)
- poner en orden (to put in order)
- poner sobre (to put on)
- poner dentro (to put inside)
Initiating Actions
Poner for starting activities:
- poner la televisión (to turn on the TV)
- poner música (to play music)
- poner en marcha (to start up)
- ponerse a + infinitive (to start doing)
Common Phrases with Poner
- poner atención (to pay attention)
- poner en práctica (to put into practice)
- poner de moda (to make fashionable)
- poner nervioso (to make nervous)
- ponerse + adjective (to become)
Practice Exercises
Complete the sentences:
- Yo ______ la mesa para la cena. (set)
- ¿______ tú la televisión? (did you turn on)
- Ella ______ muy contenta. (became)
- Nosotros ______ atención en clase. (pay)
Ready to Master Poner Completely?
You’ve learned the conjugations and rules – now it’s time to practice!
[TAKE THE PONER CONJUGATION QUIZ]
*Test your knowledge with our interactive 20-question quiz covering all tenses and uses of Poner.*
[LEARN REFLEXIVE VERBS]
Discover how to use ponerse and other reflexive verbs.
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