Idioms - Poner

Question 1

poner al corriente

Answer 1

to inform Necesito ver las noticias y ponerme al corriente. I need to watch the news and get informed.

Question 2

poner las cartas sobre la mesa

Answer 2

to lay one’s cards on the table Tenemos que aclarar las cosas y poner las cartas sobre la mesa. We need to clear things up and lay our cards on the table.

Question 3

poner al día

Answer 3

to bring someone up to date Rita me puso al día de los acontecimientos del vecindario. Rita brought me up to date about the neighborhood’s happenings.

Question 4

poner pies en polvorosa

Answer 4

to be on somebody’s heels El suegro puso los pies en polvorosa atrás de su yerno. The father-in-law was on his son-in-law’s heels.

Question 5

poner al sol

Answer 5

to expose to the sun Estos zapatos está húmedos tienes que ponerlos al sol. These shoes are wet you have to expose them to the sun.

Question 6

poner por las nubes

Answer 6

to praise highly Luis siempre pone por las nubes a su esposa. Luis always praises his wife highly.

Question 7

poner aparte

Answer 7

to set aside Cuando hagas el turrón pones las yemas aparte. When you make the icing you set the yolk aside.

Question 8

poner los puntos sobre las íes

Answer 8

to dot the i’s and cross the t’s Paola es muy organizada y exige que pongas los puntos sobre las íes. Paola is very organized and she demands that you dot the i’s and cross the t’s.

Question 9

poner reparos

Answer 9

to make objections Ella no puso reparos para que me llevara a los niños. She made no objections for me to take the children.

Question 10

poner como un trapo

Answer 10

to wipe the floor with someone La directora puso como trapo a la pobre maestra de Arte. The principal wiped the floor with poor Art’s teacher.

Question 11

ponerle el cascabel al gato

Answer 11

to dare someone to do something Cuando le dijiste eso fue como ponerle el cascabel al gato. When you told him that it was like daring him to do it.

Question 12

poner las cosas en claro

Answer 12

to clear things up; to explain Debes poner las cosas en claro con Manuel para que no hayan malos entendidos. You need to clear things up with Manuel so that there are no misunderstandings.

Question 13

ponerse + adjective

Answer 13

to become (involuntarily) Freddy se puso triste al ver a su madre tan enferma. Freddy became sad when he saw his mother so sick.

Question 14

poner de manifiesto

Answer 14

to make public El pueblo puso de manifiesto su descontento ante la decisión del gobierno. The people made public their unhappiness before the government’s decision.

Question 15

ponerse a + infinitive

Answer 15

to begin to Mi mamá se puso a limpiar de inmediato que terminamos de comer. My mom started cleaning as soon as we finished eating.

Question 16

poner en apuros

Answer 16

to put in a jam Cuando llegamos a la hora de almuerzo la pusimos en apuros. When we arrived during lunch time we put her in a jam.

Question 17

ponerse bien

Answer 17

to get well Esperamos que te pongas bien. We hope you get well.

Question 18

poner en claro

Answer 18

to make clear Sólo quiero poner en claro que yo no pretendo quedarme con la casa. I just want to make clear that I don’t want to keep the house.

Question 19

ponerse colorado

Answer 19

to blush Cuando contaron la historia de su caída se puso colorado. When they told the story about his falling he blushed.

Question 20

poner en duda

Answer 20

to question La abogada puso en duda sus palabras. The attorney questioned his words.

Question 21

ponerse de acuerdo

Answer 21

to come to an agreement Los dos equipos deben ponerse de acuerdo para el juego. Both teams have to come to an agreement for the match.

Question 22

poner en marcha

Answer 22

to start; to get going Necesita poner en marcha el plan para obtener rápido los resultados. They need to get the plan going in order to obtain the results.

Question 23

ponerse de pie

Answer 23

to stand up Por favor pónganse de pie los que van en el bus de las 3 de la tarde. Please stand up if you are going in the 3pm bus.

Question 24

poner el grito en el cielo

Answer 24

to hit the roof Sofía puso el grito en el cielo cuando se enteró que Enrique salió con Maricela. Sofía hit the roof when she found out that Enrique went out with Maricela.

Question 25

ponerse en ridículo

Answer 25

to make look ridiculous Karla se puso en ridículo al gritar en frente de todos. Karla made herself look ridiculous when she started yelling in front of everybody.

Question 26

poner mala cara

Answer 26

to give a dirty look Paola siempre pone mala cara cuando viene Pedro. Paola always gives a dirty look when Pedro comes.

Question 27

ponérsele la carne de gallina

Answer 27

to get goose pimples Se me puso la carne de gallina al ver ese documental. I got goose pimples when I saw that documentary.

Question 28

poner la mesa

Answer 28

to set the table Tito va a poner la mesa y Claudia servirá la comida. Tito will set the table and Claudia will serve the food.