The Present Tense of Ponerse is used to describe the action of putting something on or getting into a state or condition, for example, Me pongo el abrigo. (I put on the coat.)

Ponerse is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow a set pattern in the present tense.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Ponerse (to put on) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

Ponerse generally means to put on or to become, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To put on (clothing): For example, Me pongo la chaqueta. (I put on the jacket.)

To become (a state or condition): For example, El cielo se pone gris. (The sky becomes gray.)

To start (doing something): For example, Me pongo a estudiar. (I start studying.)

To get (a certain way): For example, Se pone nervioso antes de los exámenes. (He gets nervous before exams.)

To place oneself (in a location): For example, Me pongo detrás de ti. (I place myself behind you.)

To turn (a color): For example, Las hojas se ponen amarillas en otoño. (The leaves turn yellow in autumn.)

To go (to a place, colloquially): For example, ¿A dónde te pones esta noche? (Where are you going tonight?)

To get ready (colloquially): For example, Me pongo guapa para la fiesta. (I get ready/dolled up for the party.)

To get drunk (rude): For example, Se pone hasta las mangas. (He gets completely wasted.)

Examples

Examples of Ponerse in the Present Tense

Cuando llega el verano, me pongo la ropa más fresca. (When summer arrives, I put on my lightest clothes.)

¿Te pones nervioso antes de una entrevista de trabajo? (Do you get nervous before a job interview?)

Ella se pone el sombrero para protegerse del sol. (She puts on her hat to protect herself from the sun.)

Nos ponemos en marcha temprano para evitar el tráfico. (We set off early to avoid traffic.)

¿Os ponéis de acuerdo sobre el plan de vacaciones? (Do you all agree on the vacation plan?)

Los niños se ponen los abrigos antes de salir al frío. (The children put on their coats before going out in the cold.)

Cuando me pongo el traje, me siento más profesional. (When I put on my suit, I feel more professional.)

¿Te pones al día con las noticias todas las mañanas? (Do you catch up on the news every morning?)

Ella se pone los audífonos para escuchar música. (She puts on her headphones to listen to music.)

Nos ponemos de pie para saludar al invitado de honor. (We stand up to greet the guest of honor.)

¿Os ponéis de acuerdo sobre la película que van a ver? (Do you all agree on which movie to watch?)

Ellos se ponen la ropa deportiva antes de ir al gimnasio. (They put on their athletic clothes before going to the gym.)

Cuando me pongo a estudiar, apago todas las distracciones. (When I start studying, I turn off all distractions.)

¿Te pones al día con tus amigos en las redes sociales? (Do you catch up with your friends on social media?)

Ellos se ponen los guantes para trabajar en el jardín. (They put on gloves to work in the garden.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Ponerse (to put on) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.