ponía
/po-NÍ-a/
was putting
Visualizing 'was putting': The child was in the continuous process of placing the block.
ponía(verb)
was putting
?continuous past action
,used to put
?habitual past action
was placing
?physical location
,used to set
?establishing a position
📝 In Action
Yo siempre ponía mis libros en la mesa grande.
A1I always used to put my books on the big table.
Él ponía la radio muy alta mientras cocinaba.
A2He was putting (turning) the radio up very loud while he was cooking.
Usted ponía mucho esfuerzo en ese proyecto, ¿verdad?
B1You were putting a lot of effort into that project, right?
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying the Subject
"Ponía" can mean 'I was putting' or 'he/she/it/you (formal) was putting.' You always need the context or the subject (yo, él, ella, usted) to know who is doing the action.
Imperfect Tense Function
Use 'ponía' to talk about actions that were ongoing, repeated regularly (a habit), or to describe a scene or situation in the past, without focusing on when the action finished.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Imperfect and Preterite
Mistake: "Puse mis libros en la mesa cada día. (I put my books on the table every day.)"
Correction: Ponía mis libros en la mesa cada día. (I used to put my books on the table every day.) The imperfect 'ponía' is required for repeated habits.
⭐ Usage Tips
Poner vs. Colocar
While both mean 'to put,' 'ponía' is the common, everyday choice. 'Colocaba' suggests arranging or placing something carefully.
Visualizing 'was wearing': The bear habitually wore the bright red scarf.
📝 In Action
Mi abuela ponía un pañuelo en la cabeza para ir a misa.
A2My grandmother used to wear a scarf on her head to go to mass.
Antes, yo no ponía gafas, pero ahora sí.
A2Before, I didn't wear glasses, but now I do.
💡 Grammar Points
Wearing vs. Dressing
In Spanish, 'poner' (or its reflexive form 'ponerse') is often used for the act of putting something on, but in the imperfect ('ponía'), it frequently means describing what someone habitually 'wore'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Reflexive Variation
While 'yo ponía' means 'I wore,' the reflexive form 'yo me ponía' specifically emphasizes the action of getting dressed or putting on the item.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: ponía
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'ponía' to describe a repeated habit in the past?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How is 'ponía' different from 'puso'?
'Ponía' (imperfect) describes an action that was ongoing, repeated, or descriptive in the past ('He used to put' or 'He was putting'). 'Puso' (preterite) describes a single, completed action in the past ('He put'). For example, 'Él ponía la mesa todos los días' (habit) vs. 'Él puso la mesa hace una hora' (single completed action).
Does 'ponía' have a reflexive form?
Yes, 'se ponía' is the reflexive form, meaning 'was putting on oneself' or 'was becoming/getting.' For example, 'Ella se ponía triste' (She was becoming sad).