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A stylized illustration showing a person's hand gently placing a simple blue cube onto a clean wooden table.

ponlo

PONE-loh

Contraction (Imperative Command)A1irregular (compound) er
Put it?informal command to place a masculine object,Place it?informal command to position something
Also:Set it?when referring to setting down an item

Quick Reference

infinitiveponer
gerundponiendo
past Participlepuesto

📝 In Action

El libro está en el suelo. Ponlo en la estantería.

A1

The book is on the floor. Put it on the shelf.

Si ves mi teléfono, ponlo a cargar, por favor.

A2

If you see my phone, put it on charge, please.

¡Ponlo ahí! Ese es su sitio.

A1

Put it there! That's its spot.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • Ponlo aquí – Put it here
  • Ponlo en orden – Put it in order

💡 Grammar Points

Structure of Commands

This word is a combination of the irregular command 'pon' (from the verb 'poner') and the pronoun 'lo' ('it' or 'him').

Pronoun Placement

When giving an affirmative command (telling someone to do something), the pronouns always stick to the end of the verb, forming one word.

The Accent Mark

An accent mark is required over the 'o' in 'ponlo' to keep the stress on the original command syllable ('pon'), even after the pronoun is added.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting the Accent

Mistake: "Pongo lo."

Correction: Ponlo. The accent is crucial to keep the correct pronunciation and stress on the first syllable.

Negative Commands

Mistake: "No ponlo aquí."

Correction: No lo pongas aquí. For negative commands, the pronoun 'lo' moves *before* the verb, and the verb changes to the special command form (subjunctive).

⭐ Usage Tips

Informal Only

This 'tú' command structure is informal. If you are speaking to a boss or someone you address formally (usted), you must use 'póngalo'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ponlo

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses the formal command equivalent of 'Ponlo'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

poner(to put/place) - verb
lo(it (direct object)) - pronoun
pónselo(put it on him/her/them) - contraction

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'ponlo' have an accent mark?

The accent mark is there to tell you where to put the stress when you say the word. By adding the single-syllable pronoun 'lo' to the one-syllable command 'pon,' the natural stress would shift to the last syllable. The accent over the 'o' of 'pon' forces the stress to stay where it belongs, on the first syllable.

If 'ponlo' means 'put it,' how do I say 'put them'?

If the object is plural (like 'los libros'), you change the pronoun 'lo' to 'los'. The command would then be 'ponlos' (Put them).