Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Si pierdo un calcetín, me pongo nervioso.

Si pierdo un calcetín, me pondré nervioso.
If I lose a sock (on a specific occasion), I will get nervous.
Si perdiera un calcetín, me pondría nervioso.
If I lost a sock (hypothetical/unreal), I would get nervous.

But for a general, habitual reaction, the present–present structure is standard: Si + present indicative, present indicative.

Why is it “pierdo” and not the infinitive “perder”?

“Pierdo” is the first-person singular (yo) form of “perder” in the present indicative, and it has to match the subject “yo” (even though “yo” is not written):

(Yo) pierdo = I lose.

The infinitive “perder” is the base form, used after certain verbs or prepositions, but not directly after “si” in this kind of clause.

So:

✅ Si pierdo un calcetín… (If I lose a sock…)
❌ Si perder un calcetín… (incorrect here)

Why is it “un calcetín” and not “mi calcetín” or “el calcetín”?

“Un calcetín” (a sock) is indefinite. The idea is any sock, not one specific, known sock. Spanish often uses “un/una” in general statements like this:

Si pierdo un calcetín, me pongo nervioso.
If I lose a sock (any sock), I get nervous.

You could say:

Si pierdo mi calcetín, me pongo nervioso.
If I lose my sock, I get nervous.

…but that sounds more like one particular sock (or one of mine) is important.
“El calcetín” (the sock) would usually refer to a very specific sock already known from context.

What exactly does “me pongo nervioso” mean? Why the “me” and “pongo”?

“Ponerse” + adjective means “to become / to get” (a temporary change of state).

poner = to put
ponerse (reflexive) = to put oneself → to become

So:

me pongo nervioso = I become nervous / I get nervous

Breakdown:

me = reflexive pronoun for yo
pongo = I put / I place (from poner)
nervioso = nervous (adjective describing the subject me)

Other examples:

Me pongo triste. – I get sad.
Me pongo rojo. – I turn red / I blush.
Me pongo contento. – I get happy.

The reflexive “me” is essential; you cannot say “pongo nervioso” on its own to mean “I get nervous.”

What’s the difference between “me pongo nervioso” and “estoy nervioso”?

Me pongo nervioso focuses on the change: the moment when you start to feel nervous.
- “I get nervous / I become nervous.”
Estoy nervioso describes the state: how you feel at that moment.
- “I am nervous.”

In context:

Si pierdo un calcetín, me pongo nervioso.
Whenever I lose a sock, at that moment I get nervous.

If you said:

Si pierdo un calcetín, estoy nervioso.

it would sound a bit odd; it’s more natural to describe that as a reaction/change with “me pongo”.

Why is it “nervioso” and not “nerviosa”?

Adjectives in Spanish must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Here, “nervioso” refers to the subject “yo.”

If the speaker is male, he says:
- (Yo) me pongo nervioso.
If the speaker is female, she says:
- (Yo) me pongo nerviosa.

So the sentence as written assumes a male speaker. A woman would naturally say “me pongo nerviosa.”

What gender is “calcetín”, and how do you make it plural?

“Calcetín” (sock) is masculine.

Singular: un calcetín
Plural: unos calcetines / los calcetines

Note the accent change:

calcetín (singular) – accent because stress is on the last syllable -tín.
calcetines (plural) – no accent needed because -ti- becomes a normal stressed syllable; it follows regular stress rules.

Example:

Si pierdo unos calcetines, me pongo nervioso.
If I lose some socks, I get nervous.

Could the word order be “Me pongo nervioso si pierdo un calcetín”? Is that still correct?

Yes, that word order is perfectly correct:

Me pongo nervioso si pierdo un calcetín.

Spanish allows both:

Si pierdo un calcetín, me pongo nervioso.
Me pongo nervioso si pierdo un calcetín.

The meaning is the same. Starting with “si…” often emphasizes the condition, while starting with “me pongo nervioso” emphasizes the reaction, but in everyday speech the difference is minimal.

Why is the pronoun “me” before “pongo” and not after, like “pongo me”?

In Spanish, unstressed object and reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, lo, la, etc.) normally go before a conjugated verb:

me pongo
te pones
se pone

They can go after the verb only when the verb is in an infinitive, gerund, or affirmative command:

Voy a ponerme nervioso. (infinitive)
Estoy poniéndome nervioso. (gerund)
Ponte nervioso. (affirmative command: “Get nervous.”)

But with a simple present indicative like “pongo”, the pronoun must come before:

✅ me pongo nervioso
❌ pongo me nervioso

Could you say “Cuando pierdo un calcetín, me pongo nervioso” instead of “Si pierdo un calcetín…”?

Yes, you can:

Cuando pierdo un calcetín, me pongo nervioso.

Both “si” and “cuando” work in many habitual situations, but there’s a nuance:

Si pierdo un calcetín…
Focus on the condition: if that happens, then this happens.
Cuando pierdo un calcetín…
Focus on the time/frequency: whenever that happens, this happens.

In practice, in a generic sentence like this, both are very natural.

Is “calcetín” the usual word for “sock” in Spain? Are there other options?

Yes, “calcetín” is the standard, everyday word for “sock” in Spain.

Other words exist, but are less common or more region-specific:

media / medias – often “stocking(s)” or thin socks, more common in some contexts (e.g., women’s hosiery).
calceta – used in some regions/contexts, but not the default.

For a basic “sock” in Spain, “calcetín” is the right word.

Would it be possible to say “Si pierdo un calcetín, me voy a poner nervioso”? How is that different?

Yes, that’s also correct:

Si pierdo un calcetín, me voy a poner nervioso.

Differences in nuance:

me pongo nervioso – simple, more neutral and general: “I get nervous (as a usual reaction).”
me voy a poner nervioso – slightly more future-focused or specific: “I’m going to get nervous (then).”

For a general habit or typical reaction, “me pongo nervioso” is more concise and idiomatic.