ponernos
“ponernos” means “to put on ourselves” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to put on ourselves, to wear
Also: to slip into
📝 In Action
Antes de salir, tenemos que ponernos los abrigos.
A1Before leaving, we have to put our coats on.
Es agradable ponernos ropa cómoda después del trabajo.
A2It's nice to put on comfortable clothes after work.
to become, to get
Also: to turn
📝 In Action
La película es tan triste que podríamos ponernos a llorar.
A2The movie is so sad that we might start to cry (become tearful).
No queremos ponernos celosos por su éxito.
B1We don't want to get jealous because of their success.
El cielo empezó a ponernos nerviosos con ese color gris.
B1The sky started to make us nervous with that gray color.
to start, to set about
📝 In Action
Después del descanso, necesitamos ponernos a trabajar de inmediato.
B1After the break, we need to start working immediately.
Si queremos terminar, tenemos que ponernos a escribir ahora mismo.
B1If we want to finish, we have to start writing right now.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ponernos
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'ponernos' to mean 'to become' (a change in state)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The root verb 'poner' comes from the Latin verb *pōnere*, meaning 'to put down' or 'to place'. The form 'ponernos' adds the pronoun 'nos' (us), making the action reflect back onto the subject ('we').
First recorded: The root verb 'poner' dates back to early Romance languages (around the 10th century).
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'ponernos' sometimes mean 'to start'?
The structure 'ponerse a + [action]' literally means 'to place oneself into an action,' which is how Spanish expresses the idea of 'starting' or 'getting down to business.' It’s a fixed phrase used only for this purpose.
When do I use 'nos ponemos' instead of 'ponernos'?
You use 'nos ponemos' when the verb is conjugated (e.g., 'Nos ponemos tristes' - We get sad). You use 'ponernos' when the verb is in the infinitive form, usually following another conjugated verb or preposition (e.g., 'Vamos a ponernos tristes' - We are going to get sad).