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Conjugation Chart of “Ponerse” (to put on/become) in the Preterite (Past) Tense

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Understanding the Preterite (Past) Tense of “Ponerse”

The preterite of ponerse is used to express when someone put something on or became something at a specific moment in the past. For example, when you want to say “I put on my jacket” – “Me puse la chaqueta.”

This is an irregular reflexive verb in the preterite tense. Like its root verb poner, it uses the stem pus- throughout all conjugations, and requires the appropriate reflexive pronoun before each form.

How to Use Ponerse in the Preterite (Past) Tense

The Preterite of ponerse expresses a sudden change in state or condition.

To become/get: Indicates a change in emotional or physical state, for example Se puso enfermo (He got sick), or Me puse nervioso (I got nervous).

To put on (clothing): Describes the act of putting on clothing or accessories, for example Se puso el abrigo (She put on the coat).

To start (weather): Used to describe sudden weather changes, for example Se puso a llover (It started to rain).

Real Life Examples of Ponerse in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Me puse nervioso antes del examen. (I got nervous before the exam.)

El cielo se puso gris antes de la tormenta. (The sky turned grey before the storm.)

¿Te pusiste el abrigo nuevo? (Did you put on your new coat?)

Nos pusimos muy contentos con la noticia. (We got very happy with the news.)

Se puso pálida cuando lo vio. (She turned pale when she saw him.)

Los niños se pusieron a jugar en el parque. (The children started playing in the park.)

¿Por qué te pusiste tan serio? (Why did you get so serious?)

Se puso el sol y empezó a hacer frío. (The sun set and it started to get cold.)

Me puse la camisa azul para la fiesta. (I put on the blue shirt for the party.)

Nos pusimos de acuerdo rápidamente. (We quickly came to an agreement.)

Se pusieron a trabajar inmediatamente. (They started working immediately.)

Te pusiste muy elegante para la boda. (You got very elegant for the wedding.)

La situación se puso difícil. (The situation got difficult.)

Me puse enfermo después de comer. (I got sick after eating.)

Se pusieron felices al verme. (They got happy when they saw me.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Ponerse (to put on/become) in the Preterite (Past) Tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.