ELONIO
Log inSign up

Pongo el cuaderno sobre la mesa.

Pongo el cuaderno sobre la mesa.
I put the notebook on the table.
FromLesson 20inHardcore Spanish (Spain)

Breakdown of Pongo el cuaderno sobre la mesa.

yo
I
la mesa
the table
el cuaderno
the notebook
poner
to put
sobre
on

Questions & Answers about Pongo el cuaderno sobre la mesa.

What form is pongo, and why not poner?

Pongo is the first-person singular (yo) present indicative of poner. It’s an irregular “yo-go” verb: the yo form ends in -go. Present indicative:

  • yo: pongo
  • tú: pones
  • él/ella/usted: pone
  • nosotros/as: ponemos
  • vosotros/as: ponéis
  • ellos/ellas/ustedes: ponen
Do I need to say yo?
No. Spanish normally drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the subject. Use yo only for emphasis or contrast: Yo pongo el cuaderno… (I, not someone else).
Can I use en la mesa instead of sobre la mesa in Spain?
Yes. En is very common for “on” in Spain. Sobre can emphasize “on top of” and sounds a bit more explicit or formal. Both are correct here.
What’s the difference between sobre, encima de, and arriba de?
  • Sobre: on top of; also “over/above,” and “about” (topic).
  • Encima de: physically on top of; very common.
  • Arriba de: widespread in Latin America; in Spain you’ll hear encima de instead. In Spain, arriba is used mainly as an adverb (Upstairs/above), not usually with de in this sense.
Why is it el cuaderno and la mesa? Could it be un cuaderno or mi cuaderno?
Spanish typically uses articles with count nouns. El cuaderno/la mesa refer to specific items. You can say un cuaderno (a notebook) if it’s non-specific or mi cuaderno (my notebook) if you want to show possession.
Can I replace el cuaderno with a pronoun? Where does it go?

Yes. Cuaderno is masculine singular, so use lo:

  • Before a conjugated verb: Lo pongo sobre la mesa.
  • With an infinitive/gerund: Voy a ponerlo / Lo voy a poner; Estoy poniéndolo / Lo estoy poniendo. Note the accent in poniéndolo.
How do I make it negative?

Put no before the verb (and before the pronoun if you have one):

  • No pongo el cuaderno sobre la mesa.
  • No lo pongo sobre la mesa.
How do I turn it into a question or an offer?

Just use question intonation (and Spanish question marks):

  • Neutral: ¿Pongo el cuaderno sobre la mesa?
  • With a pronoun: ¿Lo pongo sobre la mesa?
  • To offer/help: ¿Lo pongo en la mesa?
How do I give a command (imperative) in Spain?
  • Tú: Pon el cuaderno… / Negative: No pongas…
  • Usted: Ponga… / Negative: No ponga…
  • Vosotros/as: Poned… / Negative: No pongáis…
  • Ustedes: Pongan… / Negative: No pongan…
Can Spanish present simple mean “I’m putting (right now)”?
Yes. The present simple (pongo) can refer to actions happening now in Spanish. The progressive (estoy poniendo) emphasizes the ongoing nature, but both are often acceptable depending on context.
Is poner irregular in other tenses?

Yes. Key forms:

Why not Pongo a el cuaderno?
Because poner takes a direct object without a preposition. Also, the “personal a” is used mainly before human/animate direct objects. Objects like el cuaderno do not take a.
Are there contractions with sobre like al or del?
No. Only a + el = al and de + el = del contract. Sobre el does not contract.
Can I change the word order?

Yes, for emphasis or topicalization:

  • Lo pongo sobre la mesa. (pronoun first)
  • El cuaderno lo pongo sobre la mesa. (focus on “the notebook”)
  • Sobre la mesa pongo el cuaderno. (focus on location) All are correct with natural intonation.
What’s the difference between poner, dejar, and colocar?
  • Poner: to put/place (neutral, most common).
  • Dejar: to leave something somewhere (often implies it stays there).
  • Colocar: to place/position neatly or carefully (more formal/specific). You could say Dejo el cuaderno sobre la mesa if you mean you’re leaving it there.
Does sobre ever mean “about” (a topic)?
Yes. For example, un libro sobre la historia de España (a book about the history of Spain). In your sentence, it’s the spatial meaning “on top of.”
Any pronunciation tips (Spain)?
  • Pongo: the g is a hard [g]; ng as in English “finger.” Stress: PON-go.
  • Cuaderno: soft intervocalic d [ð]; the r is a single tap [ɾ]. Stress: cua-DER-no.
  • Sobre/mesa: clear s sound; stress SO-bre, ME-sa.
Common mistakes to avoid?
When would I use ponerse instead?
  • To put something on yourself (clothes): Me pongo la chaqueta.
  • To become (a state): Me pongo nervioso. Your sentence uses non-reflexive poner because you’re placing an object somewhere.
How do I say “I put it on the table for him/her”?
Se lo pongo en la mesa. Here, se is the indirect object (for him/her), and lo is the direct object (it = el cuaderno). If the object were feminine (e.g., la carpeta), use la: Se la pongo en la mesa.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Spanish grammar?”
Spanish grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Spanish

Master Spanish — from Pongo el cuaderno sobre la mesa to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Spanish→