VerbyGoSpanish Conjugation

Learn Poner in the Spanish present tense

Selected topic

Poner

Follow the four steps in order, or open any step whenever you need it.

Step 1 · Learn

Understand this topic.

Read the explanation and examples, then continue when the pattern is clear.

Present · Yo → -GO

Poner in the Spanish present tense

Poner means to put, place or set. It appears in practical expressions such as poner la mesa, poner música and poner una alarma.

Its yo form is pongo. The other present forms are regular: pones, pone, ponemos, ponéis and ponen.

ponerto put
Pongo for yo; regular pon- forms elsewhere

Use pongo, pones, pone, ponemos, ponéis and ponen. Read the object and destination together so the sentence expresses a complete action.

Subject or verbPatternExample
yocomplete special formpongo
túcomplete special formpones
él / ella / ustedcomplete special formpone
nosotros / nosotrascomplete special formponemos
vosotros / vosotrascomplete special formponéis
ellos / ellas / ustedescomplete special formponen
1. Meaning and form in context

Only yo uses pongo. In most contexts, poner is followed by the object being placed or set and then, when needed, a location or setting.

Yo pongo las llaves junto a la puerta.I put the keys next to the door.
¿Tú pones una alarma para las siete?Do you set an alarm for seven?
Carlos pone leche en el café.Carlos puts milk in his coffee.
2. A contrast worth noticing

Ponga is not the ordinary third-person present form; it belongs to the subjunctive or a formal command. Use pone for él, ella or usted in an indicative statement.

Usted pone su nombre al principio del formulario.You put your name at the top of the form.
Nosotros ponemos la mesa antes de cenar.We set the table before dinner.
Mi madre y yo ponemos las plantas junto a la ventana.My mother and I put the plants by the window.
3. Let the subject guide the form

Spanish often omits a subject pronoun, but each exercise provides enough context to identify the person. Choose the form from meaning and agreement, not from the nearest noun.

4. Common mistakes
Yo poner las llaves junto a la puerta.Yo pongo las llaves junto a la puerta.

The infinitive poner must change to pongo for this subject and context.

¿Tú poner una alarma para las siete?¿Tú pones una alarma para las siete?

The infinitive poner must change to pones for this subject and context.

Carlos poner leche en el café.Carlos pone leche en el café.

The infinitive poner must change to pone for this subject and context.

5. A reliable method
  1. Identify the subject and the object being placed or set.
  2. Use pongo only for yo.
  3. Use pon- plus the regular -ER ending elsewhere.
  4. Check any location phrase or fixed expression after poner.

Continue exploring VerbyGo

Create your free account to explore another Spanish tense.