poniamo

Poniamo is the first-person plural present indicative form of the Italian verb porre, meaning to put, place, or pose. In usage, poniamo can simply mean “we put” or “we place,” as in poniamo un libro sul tavolo (we place a book on the table). It also has a rhetorical function, often used to express a proposal or suggestion with the sense of “let us put/pose” or “let us propose,” as in Poniamo una domanda al professor (Let us ask the professor a question).

Etymology and forms. The verb porre derives from Latin ponere, and in Italian the present indicative forms are irregular. The typical paradigm in the present tense is: io pongo, tu poni, lui/lei pone, noi poniamo, voi ponete, loro pongono. These irregularities reflect historical phonetic changes from Latin to modern Italian. Poniamo, as the noi form, is sometimes categorized separately from regular -ere verb endings due to its irregular stem.

Usage notes. Poniamo is common in both everyday speech and formal writing when describing collective action. It frequently appears with direct objects or with phrases such as poniamo una questione (we raise/pose a question), poniamo l’attenzione su (we draw attention to), or poniamo un problema (we pose a problem). Because it can function as a hortative form, poniamo may appear in contexts where the speaker invites others to take action together.

See also. Porre, the Italian verb meaning to put, place, or pose; related phrases and idioms using ponere or porre in academic or literary Italian.