Spanish Verb – Poner Conjugation

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Julio Cesar Martinez – Spanish Tutor. “Spanish Verb – Poner Conjugation.” Lingua Linkup, 28 Dec. 2022, lingualinkup.com/poner-conjugation.

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Julio Cesar Martinez – Spanish Tutor. (2022, December 28). Spanish Verb – Poner Conjugation. Lingua Linkup. https://lingualinkup.com/poner-conjugation/

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Julio Cesar Martinez – Spanish Tutor. “Spanish Verb – Poner Conjugation.” Lingua Linkup, December 28, 2022. https://lingualinkup.com/poner-conjugation/.

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Pon de tu parte: among Colombian people, this expression is used when we want to tell someone to collaborate and make an effort in something.

The verb poner is one of the most common verbs in the Spanish Language. This means to take a thing and put it over a place. This verb can have many meanings depending on the expression/context we use it in. In English, the verb put is used in several circumstances, the same as in Spanish, and its meaning will be different in each particular situation. , This verb is also used when we wear clothing. For example; “me puse un pantalón rojo“ (I’m wearing red pants) but also can mean to contribute with something like in “tu pones la comida y yo la bebida” (I bring the food, and you get the drinks).

Some of these expressions are:

• Poner buena cara: make a good face despite the circumstances.
• Poner algo en juego: to put something or someone at risk.
• Poner a alguien en su sitio: make someone take his place.
• Poner trabas: make obstacles, make something more difficult.
• Poner los cuernos a alguien: being unfaithful to your couple.
• Poner atención: be attentive to something or someone; pay attention. Some people also say ‘prestar atención.

Let’s learn together!

Before you continue reading, remember:

• You in English refers to the second-person singular and plural. However, in Spanish, we have 3 important pronouns: tú, usted, and ustedes. Tú is used when you have confidence with the person you are talking to, usted is more formal, and ustedes is the second person’s plural form.
• In Spanish, we have unspoken subjects (sujeto tácito) so there is no need to use a pronoun every time as we do in English. It is a form of subject ellipsis that occurs in this language. We also use written accents and stresses that may change a word’s meaning when written.
• Poner is one of the irregular verbs that exist in Spanish.

Poner Conjugation 

Indicative Mood

These are some examples of phrases in the indicative mood of this interesting verb. In the indicative mood, the facts in the action of which the verb speaks are real and are given by certain events that have occurred, are developing or are about to occur. Do you recognize these tenses?

• Yo me pongo una camisa roja / yo me puse una camisa roja / yo me ponía una camisa roja / yo me pondré una camisa roja / yo me pondría una camisa roja.
• Tú pones el pan / tu pusiste el pan / tu ponías el pan / tu pondrás el pan / tu pondrías el pan.
• Él pone el celular en la mesa / ella puso el celular en la mesa / usted ponía el celular en la mesa / él pondrá el celular en la mesa / él pondría el celular en la mesa.
• Nosotros ponemos nuestra vida en juego por él / nosotros pusimos la vida en juego por él / nosotros poníamos la vida en juego por él / nosotros pondremos la vida en juego por él / nosotros pondríamos la vida en juego por él.
• Ellos ponen un cuadro a la pared / ellas pusieron un cuadro en la pared / ustedes ponían el cuadro en la pared / ellos pondrán un cuadro en la pared / ellas pondrían un cuadro en la pared.

Analyze the next chart and let’s review some examples:

• We use present to express something that actually happens in the present, according to the use we give to the verb: yo me pongo un pantalón. (I wear some pants).
• We use perfect preterit to express something that happened in the past, according to the use or expression of the verb: tú pusiste tu vida en juego (you risked your life).
• We use imperfect preterit to mention something that used to happen in the past, depending on the expression of the verb: él ponía trabas para salir (he made troubles to go out).
• We use future simple to talk about something we are waiting to happen in the future: nosotros pondremos la comida (We will contribute with the food).
• We use the simple conditional tense to talk about something that would probably happen if something else happens: si tuviera dinero, pondría la cerveza  (if I had money, I would contribute with beer).

Let’s see some of the most used perfect tenses of the Indicative Mood:

• We build compounded tenses using the verb “HABER” (HAVE) and the participle of the main verb, in this case poner: puesto*.

*Note: puesto as a noun means a place somewhere, a shop or location: un puesto de verduras (a vegetable store)

• We use the compounded perfect preterit to talk about something that has happened since a certain time, but its meaning can change according to how we use it: él me ha puesto los cuernos 3 veces (he has been unfaithful with me 3 times).
• We use the pluperfect to talk about something it had already happened before an action developed in the past: cuando me llamaste, yo ya me había puesto el pantalón (when you called me, I had already worn my pants).
• We use the perfect future to talk about a fact or something we hope to happen in the future: en la tarde ya habremos puesto el cuadro en la pared (we will have already put the frame on the wall).
• We use perfect conditional to talk about something that is hypothetical with a result to that hypothesis:  si la hubieras querido, no le habrías puesto los cuernos (if you had loved her, you wouldn’t have been unfaithful with her).

As you know, in Spanish, we also have two other verbal moods: the Subjunctive and the Imperative Mood.

Let’s see the common forms of the Subjunctive Mood:

The subjunctive mood is one of the grammatical modes of the verb and is used to express possible, desired, or hypothetical actions, that is, actions that are not actually occurring.

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• Subjunctive is usually used to express wishes, wants and hopes. And it is usually introduced by the words like que, ojalá, espero (que), si, cuando.
• The present form is used to express something we would like it to happen or to be done in the present or in the near future: Espero que pongas atención en la reunión (I hope you pay attention in the meeting).
• The imperfect preterit form to mention something that we hope to happen or be done: Ojalá él pusiera de su parte (if only he made an effort)
• The pluperfect is used to express something we wanted to happen or be done, a past situation: Si lo hubiéramos puesto en su sitio, esto no hubiera pasado (if we had made him take his place, this wouldn’t have happened).
• The perfect preterit form is used to express the consequence when or if something is done in the future: Cuando hayas puesto buena cara, hablaremos (when you have made a good face, we will talk).
  

  Let’s review a bit, the Imperative Mood:

The imperative mood is one of the grammatical moods of the verb and is used to give orders or advice, as well as to make requests and give instructions. 

• (Tu) Pon un poco de sal en la sopa (add a bit of salt in the soup)
• (Usted) ponga atención en clase (pay attention in class)
• (Nosotros) pongamos la bandera en su sitio (let’s put the flag in its place)
• (Ustedes) pongan de su parte (make your effort)

Bonus: The verb “poner” can also be used as a pronominal verb in expressions like these:

• Ponerse en los zapatos de alguien: be emphatic with someone’s situation.
• Ponerse las pilas: become more attentive to any situation. To put more energy on doing something.
• Ponerse la piel de gallina: something that your body experiences when you feel scared or nervous.
• Ponerse al día: to share with someone the most recent experience.
• Ponerse los pantalones: to asume our responsibilities.

Verb Poner – Quiz/Worksheet:

1.    Yo ______ la harina. (indicative mood: present simple)

2.    Ella _____ muchas trabas para salir (indicative mood: perfect preterit)

3.    Nosotros ___________ atención en clase. (indicative mood: future simple)

4.    Usted ________ música en salón todos los días. (indicative mood: imperfect preterit)

5.    Ella te ___ _____ los cuernos varias veces. (indicative mood: present perfect)

6.    Espero que tú no ________ en juego mi vida (subjunctive mood: present)

7.    Ojalá no _______ _______ nuestra fortuna en juego (subjunctive mood: perfect preterit)

8.    Niños, ______ atención.  (imperative)

9.    Si ellas tuvieran tiempo, _______ el cuadro en la pared (indicative mood: conditional)

10.   Si tú lo _______ _______ en su sitio, esto no estaría pasando (subjunctive mood: imperfect preterit)

Answers:

1.    Pongo

2.    Puso

3.    Pondremos

4.    Ponía

5.    Ha puesto

6.    Pongas

7.    Hayas puesto

8.    Pongan

9.    Pondrían

10.   Hubieras puesto

About the Author:

Specializations: Spanish Tutors on Skype

Bio: I am Julio Martinez, I have studied a bachelor’s degree in language teaching since 2019, and I am close to get graduated.  I have work as English teacher in some institutions in Colombia, I have also worked as tutor supporting some students to improve their Spanish levels and as tutor for personalized French classes. By the same way, I speak not only Spanish and English but also French and Portuguese, I have been participating in a research group of language teaching for people with difficulties. As well as, I have participated in different seminars of different institutions and Universities in the field of languages teaching.

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