puso
“puso” means “he/she put” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
he/she put
Also: you put, he/she placed
📝 In Action
Ella puso las llaves sobre la mesa.
A1She put the keys on the table.
¿Dónde puso usted mi abrigo?
A2Where did you (formal) put my coat?
El cartero puso la carta en el buzón.
A2The mailman put the letter in the mailbox.
he/she/it made (someone feel)
Also: you made (someone feel)
📝 In Action
La película de terror me puso nervioso.
A2The horror movie made me nervous.
Su comentario la puso triste.
B1His comment made her sad.
El sol nos puso de buen humor.
B1The sun put us in a good mood.
he/she turned on
Also: you turned on, he/she played
📝 In Action
Puso la radio para escuchar las noticias.
B1He turned on the radio to listen to the news.
Mi mamá puso la calefacción porque hacía frío.
B1My mom turned on the heat because it was cold.
¿Quién puso esta canción tan buena?
B1Who played this great song?
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: puso
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'puso' to talk about an emotional change?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'pōnere', which meant 'to put, place, or set'. The past tense form in Latin underwent significant changes as it evolved into Spanish, leading to the irregular 'pus-' stem.
First recorded: Evolved from Vulgar Latin; present in Old Spanish texts.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it 'puso' and not 'ponió'?
Because 'poner' is an irregular verb, a 'rule-breaker'! In the preterite past tense, its stem changes from 'pon-' to 'pus-'. This happens for all persons (yo puse, tú pusiste, él puso, etc.). Many common verbs in Spanish have irregular past tense forms like this, so it's a great one to memorize.
What's the difference between 'puso' and 'ponía'?
They are both past tenses of 'poner', but they describe the past in different ways. Use 'puso' for a single, completed action (like a snapshot): 'Él puso el libro en la mesa' (He put the book on the table - it's done). Use 'ponía' for an ongoing or repeated action in the past (like a movie scene): 'Él ponía los libros en el estante cuando sonó el teléfono' (He was putting the books on the shelf when the phone rang).