How to Say "laying" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “laying” is “poniendo” — use 'poniendo' when you are actively placing or setting something down, like objects on a table or clothes in a drawer. It describes the physical action of putting something somewhere.
poniendo
po-NYEN-dopoˈnjendo
Examples
Estoy poniendo la mesa para la cena.
I am laying the table for dinner.
Estoy poniendo las flores en el jarrón.
I am putting the flowers in the vase.
Ella está poniendo la mesa para la cena.
She is setting the table for dinner.
El trabajador estuvo poniendo los ladrillos toda la mañana.
The worker was laying the bricks all morning.
The Continuous Action
The word 'poniendo' (the gerund) is used with the verb 'estar' (to be) to show that the action of 'putting' is happening right now or was happening over a period of time (e.g., 'Estoy poniendo' = I am putting).
Irregular Gerund
Most verbs ending in -er form their gerund by adding -iendo (like 'comiendo'). 'Poner' follows this pattern, but its root is irregular in other tenses, so watch out for forms like 'puse' and 'puesto'.
Confusing 'Poner' and 'Meter'
Mistake: “Estoy metiendo el libro en la mesa. (I am putting the book into the table.)”
Correction: Estoy poniendo el libro en la mesa. ('Poner' is used for placing on a surface; 'meter' is for inserting inside something.)
puesta
pwés-taˈpwesta
Examples
La gallina ha hecho su primera puesta de huevos.
The hen has made her first laying of eggs.
Su primera puesta fue de cien euros.
His first bet was one hundred euros.
La gallina hizo su puesta en el nido.
The hen laid her eggs (her 'laying') in the nest.
Action vs. Biological Act
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.