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A person placing a bright pink chair carefully in the middle of an empty room.

ponla

POHN-lah

verbA1irregular er
put it?Referring to a feminine object like a table, chair, or shirt.,place it?Setting an item in a specific location.
Also:turn it on?Referring to things like the radio (la radio) or the television (la tele).,set it?Referring to the table (la mesa).

Quick Reference

gerundponiendo
past Participlepuesto
infinitiveponer

📝 In Action

Si la mesa está lista, ponla en el comedor.

A1

If the table is ready, put it in the dining room.

¿Ves esa silla? Ponla allí, por favor.

A1

Do you see that chair? Place it there, please.

Me gusta esa canción, ¡ponla otra vez!

A2

I like that song, put it on again!

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • colócala (place it)
  • ubícala (locate it / position it)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • ponla aquí – put it here
  • ponla en su sitio – put it in its place

💡 Grammar Points

A two-in-one word

'Ponla' is actually two words joined together: 'pon' (the command form of 'to put') and 'la' (the word for 'it' when talking about feminine objects like 'la maleta').

Where does 'it' go?

When you give a positive command, the 'it' (la) must stick to the end of the verb. If you say 'don't put it,' the 'la' moves to the front: 'no la pongas'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

The 'la' position

Mistake: "la pon"

Correction: ponla

⭐ Usage Tips

Check the gender

Only use 'ponla' if the object you are talking about is feminine (ends in -a, or uses 'la'). If you are putting a book (el libro), you would say 'ponlo' instead.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedespusieran
yopusiera
túpusieras
vosotrospusierais
nosotrospusiéramos
él/ella/ustedpusiera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedespongan
yoponga
túpongas
vosotrospongáis
nosotrospongamos
él/ella/ustedponga

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedespusieron
yopuse
túpusiste
vosotrospusisteis
nosotrospusimos
él/ella/ustedpuso

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesponían
yoponía
túponías
vosotrosponíais
nosotrosponíamos
él/ella/ustedponía

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesponen
yopongo
túpones
vosotrosponéis
nosotrosponemos
él/ella/ustedpone
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ponla

Question 1 of 1

If you want someone to put a suitcase (la maleta) on the bed, what should you say?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

poner(to put) - verb
puesto(placed/set) - adjective
posición(position) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't it 'pon la'?

In Spanish, object pronouns (like 'la') must be physically attached to the end of affirmative command verbs to form a single word.

What is the difference between 'ponlo' and 'ponla'?

You use 'ponlo' for masculine objects (like 'el plato') and 'ponla' for feminine objects (like 'la taza').