pondría
/pohn-DREE-ah/
would put
If I had this plant, I would put it on the shelf. (pondría)
pondría(verb)
would put
?hypothetical placement
,would place
?hypothetical placement
would set
?setting a table
📝 In Action
Yo pondría el libro sobre la mesa, si fuera mío.
A2I would put the book on the table, if it were mine.
Ella dijo que pondría las flores en el jarrón azul.
B1She said she would place the flowers in the blue vase.
Usted pondría su firma aquí, por favor.
A2You (formal) would put your signature here, please. (Used for polite requests)
💡 Grammar Points
Using the Conditional Tense
The conditional tense, which includes 'pondría,' is used to talk about things that 'would' happen under certain circumstances (like wishes or hypothetical situations).
Irregular Conditional Stem
The verb 'poner' is irregular. Instead of adding the conditional endings to the infinitive 'poner,' you use the special stem 'pondr-' (like 'tener' uses 'tendr-').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Poner and Ponerse
Mistake: "Using 'Yo pondría' when you mean 'I would put it on myself' (like clothes)."
Correction: If you mean 'I would put on a jacket,' you should use the reflexive form: 'Yo me pondría una chaqueta.' Use 'pondría' for placing objects away from yourself.
⭐ Usage Tips
Polite Requests
Using 'pondría' (especially with 'usted' or 'yo') is a very polite way to ask or suggest something, softening the request greatly.
He would set the limit right here. (pondría)
pondría(verb)
would set
?setting conditions or limits
,would propose
?suggesting an idea
would give
?giving an example
📝 In Action
Si fuera presidente, yo pondría nuevas reglas de tráfico.
B1If I were president, I would set new traffic rules.
Él pondría el ejemplo de su madre como modelo a seguir.
B2He would give the example of his mother as a role model.
Ella pondría un límite de tiempo para terminar el proyecto.
B1She would set a time limit to finish the project.
If he came to the party, he would play the music. (pondría)
pondría(verb)
would play
?starting music or a video
,would turn on
?starting an appliance
would broadcast
?TV/Radio
📝 In Action
¿Qué música pondría usted para la fiesta?
A2What music would you (formal) put on for the party?
Yo pondría esa película otra vez, me encanta.
A2I would play that movie again; I love it.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pondría
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'pondría' to express a polite request?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'pondría' spelled with 'dr' if the infinitive is 'poner'?
'Poner' is an irregular verb, and its conditional stem is 'pondr-'. This special stem is used to form the future tense ('pondré') and the conditional tense ('pondría'). You just have to memorize this change, as it follows a pattern similar to 'tener' (tendría) and 'salir' (saldría).
Who does 'pondría' refer to?
'Pondría' refers to three possible subjects: 'yo' (I), 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (you, formal singular). Context usually makes it clear which person is being discussed.