Inklingo
← Dictionary

puse

POO-sehˈpu.se

I put, I placed

Also: I set
VerbA1irregular er
A cartoon hand placing a bright red block onto a sturdy wooden shelf, illustrating the act of physically placing an object.
infinitiveponer
gerundponiendo
past Participlepuesto

📝 In Action

Puse la llave dentro del buzón como me pediste.

A1

I put the key inside the mailbox as you asked me to.

Puse mi mochila al lado de la puerta.

A1

I placed my backpack next to the door.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • coloqué (I placed (formal))
  • metí (I put inside)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • Puse todo mi esfuerzo – I put all my effort

I turned on, I played

Also: I switched on
VerbA2irregular er
A finger pressing a prominent, glowing green power button on a simple black appliance, symbolizing activation.
infinitiveponer
gerundponiendo
past Participlepuesto

📝 In Action

Puse la radio mientras cocinaba.

A2

I turned on the radio while I was cooking.

Puse mi canción favorita a todo volumen.

B1

I played my favorite song at full volume.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • encendí (I turned on)

Antonyms

  • apagué (I turned off)

I set, I gave

Also: I assigned
VerbB1irregular er
A hand placing a small, stylized red and white striped barrier onto a path, visually representing the establishment of a condition or limit.
infinitiveponer
gerundponiendo
past Participlepuesto

📝 In Action

Puse una fecha límite estricta para el proyecto.

B1

I set a strict deadline for the project.

El banco me puso muchas condiciones para el préstamo.

B2

The bank gave me many conditions for the loan.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • establecí (I established)
  • di (I gave)

Common Collocations

  • Puse un ejemplo – I gave an example

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedpone
yopongo
túpones
ellos/ellas/ustedesponen
nosotrosponemos
vosotrosponéis

imperfect

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

preterite

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

subjunctive

present

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

imperfect

él/ella/ustedpusiera/pusiese
yopusiera/pusiese
túpusieras/pusieses
ellos/ellas/ustedespusieran/pusiesen
nosotrospusiéramos/pusiésemos
vosotrospusierais/pusieseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "puse" in Spanish:

i assigned→i gave→i placed→i played→i put→i set→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: puse

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'puse' to mean 'I played music'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

"Puse" comes from the verb 'poner', which itself is derived from the Latin verb *pōnere*, meaning 'to put, place, lay'. It is one of the foundational verbs inherited directly into Spanish, maintaining its meaning across centuries.

First recorded: Pre-10th century (in its Latin root)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: pusItalian: posi

💡 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

Why is 'puse' so different from 'poner'?

'Puse' is an example of an 'irregular' verb in the simple past tense (preterite). Instead of adding the standard ending (-í), the core part of the verb changes completely (from PONE- to PUS-). This strong change comes from old Latin verb patterns and is something you must memorize, just like 'I went' in English.

How do I say 'I put on clothes' in the past?

While 'puse' is related, when talking about putting clothes on yourself, you must use the reflexive form of the verb, 'ponerse'. Therefore, you would say 'Me puse la camisa' (I put the shirt on myself). 'Puse' alone refers to placing an object elsewhere.