The Conditional Mood of poner is used to talk about hypothetical or imagined situations in the future, for example: Yo pondría la mesa para la cena. (I would set the table for dinner.)

Poner is a stem-changing verb, which means the vowel in the stem changes in certain conjugations. For the Conditional, the o changes to o->o->u in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Poner (to put) in the Conditional Mood tense (Latin American Spanish):

The conditional mood of poner is used to express hypothetical or imagined situations, possibilities, or wishes related to putting or placing something.

To put or place: For example, Pondría la mesa para la cena. (I would set the table for dinner.) This is the most common meaning, referring to the act of putting or placing something somewhere.

To suggest or propose: For example, ¿Qué pondrías en el menú? (What would you put on the menu?) It can imply making a suggestion or proposal about putting something.

To add or include: For example, Pondría más especias a la receta. (I would add more spices to the recipe.) It can mean adding or including something to something else.

To write or put in writing: For example, Pondría mi opinión por escrito. (I would put my opinion in writing.) It refers to the act of writing or putting something down in written form.

To assign or appoint (slang): For example, Te pondría a cargo del proyecto. (I would put you in charge of the project.) In informal contexts, it can mean assigning or appointing someone to a role or task.

To bet or wager (idiomatic): For example, Pondría la casa a que gana el equipo local. (I would bet the house that the home team wins.) This idiomatic usage means to bet or wager something, often exaggerating the value of the bet.

To have sex (vulgar): For example, Pondría a esa chica en cualquier momento. (I would have sex with that girl anytime.) In very vulgar and inappropriate contexts, it can crudely refer to having sexual intercourse with someone.

Examples

Examples of Poner in the Conditional Mood

Si pondría más atención en clase, probablemente tendría mejores calificaciones. (If I would pay more attention in class, I would probably get better grades.)

¿Pondrías la mesa para la cena? Tenemos visitas esta noche. (Would you set the table for dinner? We have guests tonight.)

Mamá siempre pondría música alegre mientras cocinaba. (Mom would always play upbeat music while cooking.)

En una situación así, pondríamos la seguridad de los niños primero. (In a situation like that, we would put the children’s safety first.)

Si tuviera más dinero, pondría un negocio propio. (If I had more money, I would start my own business.)

Los expertos pondrían en duda esos resultados sin más investigación. (Experts would question those results without further research.)

¿Pondrías las maletas en el maletero? Estamos listos para irnos. (Would you put the suitcases in the trunk? We’re ready to go.)

Para ser honesto, pondría más esfuerzo en mis estudios si pudiera. (To be honest, I would put more effort into my studies if I could.)

Ellos pondrían toda su energía en hacer que el evento sea un éxito. (They would put all their energy into making the event a success.)

¿Pondríamos la reunión para otro día? Tengo un compromiso familiar. (Could we reschedule the meeting for another day? I have a family commitment.)

En el trabajo, pondrían mucho énfasis en la puntualidad. (At work, they would put a lot of emphasis on punctuality.)

Si ganara la lotería, pondría algo de dinero en una cuenta de ahorros. (If I won the lottery, I would put some money into a savings account.)

Mis amigos pondrían la casa patas arriba cuando venían de visita. (My friends would turn the house upside down when they came to visit.)

Para viajar, pondría mis documentos importantes en una funda plástica. (To travel, I would put my important documents in a plastic sleeve.)

Ellos pondrían toda su fe en que el plan funcionaría. (They would put all their faith in the plan working.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Poner (to put) in the Conditional Mood tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Conditional mood is also known as the Simple Conditional, Conditional Simple, Would Tense, or Future of the Past in English, and as Condicional Simple, Pospretérito, Potencial Simple, or Condicional de Indicativo in Spanish.