The Present Tense of Ponerse is used to describe actions that are happening right now or that occur habitually. For example, Me pongo el abrigo. (I put on the coat.)

Ponerse is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations don’t follow the typical patterns of regular verbs.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Ponerse (to put on) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American 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 la puerta (I place myself behind the door).

Colloquial: To get drunk or high: For example, Anoche me puse bien loco (Last night I got really wasted).

Colloquial: To get angry or upset: For example, Se pone insoportable cuando le llevan la contraria (He gets unbearable when you contradict him).

Examples

Examples of Ponerse in the Present Tense

Cuando el sol se pone, me gusta sentarme en el balcón a disfrutar del atardecer. (When the sun sets, I like to sit on the balcony and enjoy the sunset.)

Después de un largo día de trabajo, me pongo cómodo en el sofá y veo una película. (After a long day at work, I get comfortable on the couch and watch a movie.)

¿A qué hora te pones el pijama por la noche? (What time do you put on your pajamas at night?)

Cuando se pone el sol, las calles se llenan de gente que sale a pasear. (When the sun sets, the streets fill with people going out for a stroll.)

En esta época del año, el clima se pone muy caluroso por las tardes. (During this time of year, the weather gets very hot in the afternoons.)

Cuando te pones nervioso antes de una presentación, respira profundamente. (When you get nervous before a presentation, take deep breaths.)

El tráfico se pone muy pesado durante las horas pico. (Traffic gets very heavy during rush hour.)

Después de hacer ejercicio, me pongo una toalla fresca. (After exercising, I put on a fresh towel.)

Cuando se pone el sol, los niños regresan a casa después de jugar afuera. (When the sun sets, the kids come home after playing outside.)

En la fiesta, la música se pone más animada a medida que avanza la noche. (At the party, the music gets livelier as the night goes on.)

Antes de salir, me pongo un poco de perfume. (Before going out, I put on a little perfume.)

Cuando te pones enfermo, es importante descansar y tomar muchos líquidos. (When you get sick, it’s important to rest and drink plenty of fluids.)

La situación se pone tensa cuando hay un desacuerdo entre compañeros de trabajo. (The situation gets tense when there’s a disagreement between coworkers.)

Después de un día agotador, me pongo mi ropa de dormir y me relajo. (After an exhausting day, I put on my sleepwear and relax.)

Cuando se pone oscuro afuera, enciendo las luces de la casa. (When it gets dark outside, I turn on the lights in the house.)

Conjugations with English Translations

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

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian 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.