Inklingo
← Dictionary

posponer

pohs-poh-NEHRpospoˈner

“posponer” means “to postpone” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to postpone, to put off

Also: to delay
VerbB1irregular er
A soccer ball and a pair of sports shoes sitting by a window while it rains outside.
gerundposponiendo
past Participlepospuesto
infinitiveposponer

📝 In Action

Tuvimos que posponer la reunión para el próximo martes.

B1

We had to postpone the meeting until next Tuesday.

No pospongas tus sueños por miedo al fracaso.

B2

Don't put off your dreams because of fear of failure.

Si sigue lloviendo, pospondrán el partido.

B1

If it keeps raining, they will postpone the match.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • posponer indefinidamente – to postpone indefinitely
  • posponer hasta nuevo aviso – to postpone until further notice

to subordinate

Also: to place after
VerbC1irregular erformal
A small, plain wooden toy block sitting behind a large, sparkling golden crown.

📝 In Action

Nunca debes posponer tus principios a tus intereses personales.

C1

You should never subordinate your principles to your personal interests.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • subpeditar (to subordinate)
  • relegar (to relegate)

Antonyms

  • anteponer (to put before/prioritize)

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yopospusiera
túpospusieras
él/ella/ustedpospusiera
nosotrospospusiéramos
vosotrospospusierais
ellos/ellas/ustedespospusieran

Present Subjunctive

yoposponga
túpospongas
él/ella/ustedposponga
nosotrospospongamos
vosotrospospongáis
ellos/ellas/ustedespospongan

Indicative

Preterite

yopospuse
túpospusiste
él/ella/ustedpospuso
nosotrospospusimos
vosotrospospusisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedespospusieron

Imperfect

yoposponía
túposponías
él/ella/ustedposponía
nosotrosposponíamos
vosotrosposponíais
ellos/ellas/ustedesposponían

Present

yopospongo
túpospones
él/ella/ustedpospone
nosotrosposponemos
vosotrosposponéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesposponen
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "posponer" in Spanish:

to delay→to postpone→to subordinate→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: posponer

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the correct 'yo' form in the simple past (preterite)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
posposición(postposition) — Noun
pospuesto(postponed) — Adjective
anteponer(to put before) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'postponere', which combines 'post' (after) and 'ponere' (to place).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: postponeFrench: postposer

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'posponer' more common than 'aplazar'?

They are both very common. 'Posponer' is often used for events like meetings or games, while 'aplazar' can also refer to paying in installments (pagos aplazados).

Does it ever change its spelling like 'poner'?

Yes, it follows 'poner' in every single form. If 'poner' changes to 'puesto' or 'pondré', 'posponer' changes to 'pospuesto' and 'pospondré'.

Can I use it to talk about physical objects?

Yes, though it's formal. You could 'posponer' a word in a sentence, meaning you place it after another word.