Spanish grammar · Intermediate
Ponerse A + Infinitive: How to Say Set About Doing in Spanish
Periphrastic meaning to start / set about doing, emphasizing the immediate or sudden initiation of an action. Conjugate ponerse (reflexive, irregular yo form pongo) in any tense, add a, follow with an infinitive.
Me puse a llorar de repente.
I started crying suddenly.
What it is
Ponerse a + infinitive emphasizes the sudden or immediate start of an action. Stronger and more colloquial than empezar a, which is neutral. Conjugate ponerse (reflexive: me pongo, te pones, se pone, nos ponemos, os ponéis, se ponen) in any tense, add a, then an infinitive.
In Me puse a llorar de repente (I started crying suddenly), me puse is the preterite of ponerse (reflexive form), a is the connector, and llorar is the infinitive. The construction emphasizes the sudden onset.
How to spot it
Look for the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) + form of ponerse + a + infinitive. The reflexive is mandatory. Often used for sudden emotional reactions or starting tasks vigorously.
- Se puso a gritar. — He started shouting.
- Nos pusimos a trabajar. — We got to work.
- Me pongo a estudiar ahora. — I'll start studying now.
Ponerse a implies a more decisive or sudden start than empezar a. Me puse a estudiar suggests determination; empecé a estudiar is neutral.
Ponerse a + Infinitive Quick Reference
Ponerse a across tenses
| Tense | yo form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Present | me pongo a + inf. | I'm starting... |
| Preterite | me puse a + inf. | I started (suddenly)... |
| Imperfect | me ponía a + inf. | I was starting... |
| Future | me pondré a + inf. | I'll start... |
| Conditional | me pondría a + inf. | I would start... |
| Subjunctive | me ponga a + inf. | (that) I start... |
Common Ponerse a + Infinitive Examples in Spanish
Ponerse a covers sudden starts, deliberate beginnings, and emotional reactions. The reflexive pronoun makes the action personal and immediate.
Sudden Emotional Reactions
- Se puso a llorar de repente.
- She suddenly started crying.
- Me puse a reír.
- I started laughing.
- Se pusieron a gritar.
- They started shouting.
- Te pusiste a temblar.
- You started trembling.
- Nos pusimos a aplaudir.
- We started applauding.
Sudden emotional or physical reactions (crying, laughing, shouting, trembling) commonly take ponerse a.
Starting Tasks Vigorously
- Me puse a estudiar para el examen.
- I got down to studying for the exam.
- Se pusieron a cocinar.
- They got cooking.
- Nos pusimos a limpiar la casa.
- We set about cleaning the house.
- Me pongo a trabajar mañana.
- I'll start working tomorrow.
- Te pones a investigar y verás.
- Start investigating and you'll see.
Tasks that require deliberate effort or focused start take ponerse a + infinitive. Emphasizes commitment.
Negative or Conditional Starts
- No te pongas a discutir.
- Don't start arguing.
- Si te pones a pensar, todo es relativo.
- If you start thinking, everything is relative.
- No quiero ponerme a explicar todo otra vez.
- I don't want to start explaining everything again.
- Cuando me pongo a leer, no paro.
- When I start reading, I don't stop.
- Si os ponéis a llorar, no puedo trabajar.
- If you all start crying, I can't work.
Negative commands and conditional starts use ponerse a frequently to emphasize sudden or unwanted onset.
Reflexive Pronoun Position
- Me pongo a trabajar.
- I'm getting to work.
- Voy a ponerme a estudiar.
- I'm going to start studying.
- Quiero ponerme a leer.
- I want to start reading.
- Deberíamos ponernos a planear.
- We should start planning.
- Tienes que ponerte a hacer tu tarea.
- You have to start doing your homework.
The reflexive pronoun goes before the conjugated verb (me pongo) or attaches to the infinitive (ponerme, ponerte, ponernos).
How Ponerse A Works
Structure: Reflexive Ponerse + A + Infinitive
Conjugate the reflexive form of poner: me pongo, te pones, se pone, nos ponemos, os ponéis, se ponen. Add a (always the same), then an infinitive. The reflexive pronoun is mandatory.
Me pongo / me puse / me ponía + a + estudiar.
Reflexive pronoun + ponerse + a + infinitive.
Always reflexive in this construction.
Poner Is Irregular
Poner's yo form is pongo (irregular), so the subjunctive uses the pong- stem (ponga, pongas, etc.). The preterite is also irregular: puse, pusiste, puso, pusimos, pusisteis, pusieron. The past participle is irregular: puesto.
pongo, puse, ponga, puesto.
Multiple irregularities in poner.
Memorize poner's irregular forms.
Ponerse A vs. Empezar A
Empezar a is neutral (to start doing). Ponerse a emphasizes a sudden, deliberate, or vigorous start. Me puse a llorar carries emotion; empecé a llorar is more neutral. Use ponerse a when emphasizing the sudden or committed onset.
Empecé a llorar (neutral). Me puse a llorar (sudden, emotional).
Empezar a = neutral; ponerse a = emphatic.
Sudden / committed start = ponerse a.
Reflexive Pronoun Position
The reflexive pronoun precedes the conjugated form (me pongo a estudiar) or attaches to infinitives and gerunds (voy a ponerme a estudiar, estoy poniéndome a estudiar). Don't separate the pronoun from the verb.
me pongo, ponerme, poniéndome.
Pronoun attaches to non-finite forms.
Conjugated form: pronoun before. Infinitive / gerund: pronoun after.
Common Mistakes with Ponerse a + Infinitive
Incorrect: Puse a llorar. — I started crying. (wrong, missing reflexive)
Correct: Me puse a llorar. — I started crying.
Ponerse a is reflexive. The pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os) is mandatory. Without it, the meaning changes (puse = I placed, from non-reflexive poner).
Incorrect: Me puse llorar. — I started crying. (wrong, missing a)
Correct: Me puse a llorar. — I started crying.
Ponerse takes a before the infinitive. Without a, the construction is incomplete. Pongo + a + infinitive (with reflexive pronoun) is the fixed form.
Incorrect: Me ponio a leer. — She started reading. (wrong, mixed person, also no stem irregularity)
Correct: Se puso a leer. / Me puse a leer. — She started reading. / I started reading.
The preterite of ponerse is irregular: me puse, te pusiste, se puso (not me ponio or se ponio). The reflexive pronoun also has to match the subject.
Ponerse a + Infinitive FAQs
- How do I say set about doing or suddenly start in Spanish?
- Ponerse a + infinitive. Conjugate the reflexive form of poner (me pongo, te pones, se pone, etc.), add a, then the infinitive. Me puse a llorar (I started crying). Se puso a estudiar (He got to studying).
- What's the difference between ponerse a and empezar a?
- Both mean to start, but ponerse a emphasizes a sudden, deliberate, or vigorous start. Me puse a llorar (suddenly started crying) vs. Empecé a llorar (started crying, neutral). Ponerse a often has emotional or committed undertones; empezar a is neutral.
- Why is ponerse reflexive in this construction?
- The reflexive marks the subject as starting to do something to or for themselves. It's a fixed feature of this periphrastic construction. Non-reflexive poner alone (poner la mesa = set the table) has a different meaning.
- How is the reflexive pronoun positioned with ponerse a?
- Before the conjugated form (me pongo a estudiar) or attached to infinitives / gerunds (voy a ponerme a estudiar, estoy poniéndome a estudiar). The pronoun should always be adjacent to the verb form it belongs to.
- How can I learn ponerse a naturally?
- Sudden emotional or task starts appear constantly in real conversation. Parrot's short-form videos surface me puse a llorar / se puso a gritar / nos pusimos a trabajar in real contexts, so the construction becomes automatic with exposure.