Poner means "to put" or "to place" in English, but it is also used in many other contexts such as "to turn on" (an appliance), "to set" (a table), or even "to start" (a situation). It is one of the most common irregular verbs in Spanish and appears frequently in both written and spoken language.
  • Meaning: to put, to place, to set, to turn on, to start
  • Origin: Latin ponere, meaning "to place"
  • Key Usage: used for physical placement, starting appliances, setting scenes, and in many idiomatic expressions
  • Irregularity: irregular in stem (pon-) and in certain endings, especially in preterite, subjunctive, and imperative moods
  • Example: Pongo la mesa. (I set the table.)

Usage

Physical Placement

Poner is used to indicate placing or putting something somewhere.
  • Pon los libros en la mesa.* (Put the books on the table.)
  • Pongo el cuadro en la pared.* (I put the picture on the wall.)
  • Pon tu abrigo aquí.* (Put your coat here.)

Turning On/Starting

Poner is often used when referring to turning on appliances or starting something.
  • Pon la radio, por favor.* (Turn on the radio, please.)
  • Pongo la televisión a las ocho.* (I turn on the TV at eight.)
  • Pon la luz.* (Turn on the light.)

Turn on the radio, please.


Pon la radio, por favor.

"Pon la radio, por favor." means "Turn on the radio, please." 'Poner' is commonly used for starting appliances.

Setting or Preparing

It can also mean to set or prepare something, such as a table or a scene.
  • Pon la mesa para la cena.* (Set the table for dinner.)
  • Poner una excusa* (to make up an excuse)
  • Poner atención* (to pay attention)

Other Common Expressions

Poner appears in many idiomatic phrases that are useful to know:
  • poner en marcha* — to start up (a machine, a project)
  • poner de acuerdo* — to bring to an agreement
  • ponerse + emotion/state — to become (e.g., Me pongo nervioso.* = I get nervous.)
  • poner fin a* — to put an end to
  • poner rumbo a* — to head towards

Conjugation

Below are the key conjugations of poner in several important tenses. Note the irregular forms and stem changes.

Present Indicative

  • Use the stem pon-
  • First person singular ends in -go (pongo)
Spanish SingularSpanish PluralEnglish SingularEnglish Plural
yo pongonosotros ponemosI putwe put
tú ponesvosotros ponéisyou putyou (pl.) put
él/ella poneellos/ellas ponenhe/she putsthey put

Preterite (Simple Past)

  • Use stem pus-
  • Irregular endings (no accents)
Spanish SingularSpanish PluralEnglish SingularEnglish Plural
yo pusenosotros pusimosI putwe put
tú pusistevosotros pusisteisyou putyou (pl.) put
él/ella pusoellos/ellas pusieronhe/she putthey put

Imperfect (Past Habitual)

  • Regular -er/-ir endings with stem *pon-
Spanish SingularSpanish PluralEnglish SingularEnglish Plural
yo poníanosotros poníamosI used to putwe used to put
tú poníasvosotros poníaisyou used to putyou (pl.) used to put
él/ella poníaellos/ellas poníanhe/she used to putthey used to put

"I used to put my toys away every day."


Ponía mis juguetes todos los días. (yo, poner)

'Ponía' is the imperfect first person singular, used for habitual past actions.

Future

  • Add regular future endings to infinitive *poner
Spanish SingularSpanish PluralEnglish SingularEnglish Plural
yo pondrénosotros pondremosI will putwe will put
tú pondrásvosotros pondréisyou will putyou (pl.) will put
él/ella pondráellos/ellas pondránhe/she will putthey will put

Present Subjunctive

  • Stem changes to pong- (from poner)
  • Use regular subjunctive endings
Spanish SingularSpanish PluralEnglish SingularEnglish Plural
yo ponganosotros pongamosI putwe put
tú pongasvosotros pongáisyou putyou (pl.) put
él/ella pongaellos/ellas ponganhe/she putthey put

Imperative (Commands)

  • Affirmative commands use subjunctive forms.
  • Negative commands use no + present subjunctive.
Affirmative (Sing./Pl.)Negative (Sing./Pl.)English Example
pon / ponedno pongas / no pongáisPut / Don't put
Examples:
  • ¡Pon la mesa!* (Set the table!)
  • No pongas eso ahí.* (Don’t put that there.)

Set the table!


¡Pon la mesa! (tú, poner)

"¡Pon la mesa!" is the affirmative tú command form of poner.

Tips

Memorize Irregular Forms

Focus on key irregular forms that appear frequently, especially:
  • pongo* (present yo)
  • pus-* stem in preterite forms (puse, puso, pusieron)
  • pong-* stem in subjunctive forms (ponga, pongamos)

Learn Common Expressions

Learn the common phrases and idioms with poner as whole units. For example:
  • poner atención* (pay attention)
  • ponerse + adjective* (become + emotion/condition)
  • poner en marcha* (start up)

Which expression means "pay attention"?


poner atención

"Poner atención" is the correct expression for "pay attention."

Use Contextual Clues

The meaning of poner depends heavily on context. Pay attention to objects and nouns following the verb to understand its specific use.
  • Pon la música.* (Turn on the music.)
  • Pon la mesa.* (Set the table.)
  • Pongo mis ideas en el papel.* (I put my ideas on paper.)

Practice with Variation

Try using poner in different scenarios: physical placement, activating devices, preparing, and idiomatic expressions. This will build flexibility and confidence.
  • Physical: *pone la carta en el sobre
  • Appliance: *pon la cafetera
  • Preparation: *pon la comida en la mesa
  • Idiom: *pon atención en clase

Summary

Poner is a versatile and irregular Spanish verb meaning "to put," "to place," and more. It is irregular in key forms such as pongo, the preterite stem pus-, and subjunctive stem pong-. Poner also appears in many useful idiomatic expressions, making it an essential verb for intermediate and advanced Spanish learners.

Which forms of poner are irregular and should be memorized?


pongo, puse, puso, pusieron, ponga, pongamos

These forms represent the major irregular patterns across tenses and moods.

Flashcards (1 of 16)

    • English Singular: I put
    • English Plural: we put

    Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025

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