ponerse a + Infinitive
Start Doing (Suddenly)
Use 'ponerse a + infinitive' to say someone starts doing something, often abruptly or with determination.
How It Works
The verbal periphrasis ponerse a + infinitivo is a dynamic way to express the beginning of an action. It's more nuanced than simply saying "to start" and often implies a sudden decision, a change of activity, or a reaction to something.
Structure:
Subject + Reflexive Pronoun + poner (conjugated) + a + Infinitive
For example:
- Yo me pongo a trabajar. (I start working.)
- Él se puso a gritar. (He started to shout.)
Key Nuances:
The main feeling behind 'ponerse a' is a certain spontaneity or resolve. It's the perfect choice when someone sees a messy room and suddenly decides to clean it, or hears a sad song and starts to cry.
Comparison with Similar Expressions:
It's important to distinguish 'ponerse a' from other ways to say "to start":
- Empezar a / Comenzar a + infinitivo: These are the most neutral and common ways to say "to start" or "to begin". They can be used for both sudden and planned actions.
Example: Empecé a estudiar francés el mes pasado. (I started studying French last month.) - This is a planned action, so 'ponerse a' would sound unnatural. - Echarse a + infinitivo: This implies an even more sudden and often more dramatic start. It's frequently used with verbs of emotion or movement like llorar (to cry), reír (to laugh), correr (to run), and andar (to walk).
Example: Al verla, se echó a reír. (Upon seeing her, he burst out laughing.) - Romper a + infinitivo: This means "to burst into" an action, suggesting a very sudden, almost uncontrollable beginning. It's most common with llorar and llover (to rain).
Example: De pronto, el cielo rompió a llover. (Suddenly, the sky burst into rain.)
In summary, while 'empezar a' is a general-purpose "start", 'ponerse a' adds a touch of suddenness and personal decision, making it a more descriptive and vivid choice in many narrative contexts.
Examples (5)
- De repente, se puso a llover a cántaros.
Suddenly, it started to pour rain.
Word by Word: Of sudden, itself it-put to rain to pitchers.
- Cuando terminaron las noticias, me puse a leer un libro.
When the news finished, I started to read a book.
Word by Word: When they-finished the news, myself I-put to read a book.
- No hagas ruido, que el niño por fin se ha puesto a dormir.
Don't make noise, the child has finally started to sleep.
Here, it's used in the present perfect to indicate a recent start that is still relevant.
- Si le preguntas por su viaje, se pondrá a hablar durante horas.
If you ask him about his trip, he will start talking for hours.
Word by Word: If to-him you-ask about his trip, himself he-will-put to talk during hours.
- Vio que llegaba tarde y se puso a correr.
He saw he was running late and started to run.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting the preposition 'a' after 'ponerse'.
Se puso estudiar.Se puso a estudiar.The structure is fixed: 'ponerse' + 'a' + infinitive. The 'a' is essential and cannot be omitted.
Using 'ponerse a' for a planned beginning where 'empezar a' sounds more natural.
Different MeaningMe puse a estudiar español hace tres años.Empecé a estudiar español hace tres años.'Me puse a estudiar español hace tres años' is correct, but 'ponerse a' suggests a sudden or impulsive start. For a planned beginning, such as a course, 'empecé a' or 'comencé a' sounds more natural.
Omitting the reflexive pronoun 'se'.
El motor puso a hacer un ruido extraño.El motor se puso a hacer un ruido extraño.The reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) is a mandatory part of this structure. Without it, the verb 'poner' just means 'to put' or 'to place'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn 'ponerse a + infinitive', you first need to understand reflexive verbs, as 'ponerse' is the reflexive version of 'poner'. You also need to be comfortable with reflexive pronouns and the use of the preposition 'a' as a connector between verbs.
- -arse/-erse/-irseReflexive Verb Forms
The verb 'ponerse' is the reflexive form of 'poner', requiring knowledge of how reflexive verbs are structured and conjugated.
Level 1 - a/de/en/con/sinBasic Prepositions
This pattern is a verbal periphrasis that relies on the preposition 'a' to link the conjugated verb with the infinitive.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- echarse a + InfinitiveStart Doing (Abruptly)
Similar to 'ponerse a', but implies an even more sudden, abrupt, or dramatic start, often used with verbs like 'llorar' (to cry), 'reír' (to laugh), or 'correr' (to run).
Level 5 - romper a + InfinitiveBurst into
Another verb for starting suddenly, meaning 'to burst into' an action. It's very common with 'llorar' and 'reír' and suggests an uncontrollable, sudden outburst.
Level 5 - dejar de + InfinitiveStop Doing
This is the antonym, meaning 'to stop doing'. It's useful to contrast the beginning of an action ('ponerse a') with its cessation ('dejar de').
Level 5 - me/te/se/nos/os/seReflexive Pronouns
'Ponerse' is a pronominal verb, so understanding how reflexive pronouns work is essential for conjugating it correctly for each subject (me pongo, te pones, se pone, etc.).
Level 1 - soler + InfinitiveHabitual Action
Contrasts a sudden start ('ponerse a') with a habitual action ('soler'). 'Me pongo a leer' is a specific instance of starting, while 'Suelo leer' describes a general habit.
Level 5 - volver a + InfinitiveDo Again
This periphrasis means 'to do something again'. It's part of the same family of verb + preposition + infinitive structures as 'ponerse a'.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice ponerse a + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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