Pongo el cuaderno sobre la mesa.

I put the notebook on the table.

Breakdown of Pongo el cuaderno sobre la mesa.

• yo: I
• la mesa: the table
• el cuaderno: the notebook
• poner: to put

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?