ponerse

Ponerse is a Spanish pronominal verb with two broad semantic fields. It can be used literally to mean “to put on” clothing or accessories, and figuratively to express a change of state or onset of a new condition or mood. It is highly productive in everyday speech and has several important idiomatic constructions.

In the literal sense, ponerse describes clothing or adornment. The subject performs the action on itself: me pongo la chaqueta, te pones los guantes, se pone el sombrero. The reflexive pronoun remains with the verb across persons: nos ponemos, os ponéis, se ponen. This use is common with items of clothing and sometimes with accessories such as "ponerse los pendientes" or "ponerse los lentes".

In its figurative sense, ponerse expresses a change of state or mood: se pone triste, me pongo nervioso, se puso contento. It can also refer to illness or temporary conditions: ponerse enfermo, ponerse de moda, ponerse furioso. A related construction is ponerse a + infinitivo, which signals the start of an action: me puse a estudiar, se puso a trabajar. This form is often interchangeable with empezar a, depending on nuance.

Conjugation overview: present indicative uses the pon- stem (me pongo, te pones, se pone, nos ponemos, os ponéis, se ponen). The preterite uses the irregular pus- stem (me puse, te pusiste, se puso, nos pusimos, os pusisteis, se pusieron). Imperfect is me ponía, te ponías, se ponía, nos poníamos, os poníais, se ponían. Other tenses include future me pondré, conditional me pondría, present subjunctive me ponga, imperfect subjunctive me pusiera. Imperatives: ponte (tú), póngase (usted), ponéos (vosotros).

Idioms and notes: “ponerse las pilas” means to wake up and get to work; distinctions with volverse or hacerse highlight the idea of temporary versus lasting change.