What does it mean word for word?
The verb poner literally means 'to put', so the phrase poner una canción literally translates to 'to put a song'.
Which one should you use?
Use poner una canción when you are starting a song on a device (like a phone or radio), but use tocar una canción if you are physically playing the song on a musical instrument. While 'poner una canción' is the most common way to say 'play a song' in daily conversation, reproducir una canción is a more formal or technical term used in the context of media players or software.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to command someone informally to 'play a song', you use the imperative form pon una canción. If you want to command someone formally or politely to 'play a song', you use the imperative form ponga una canción.
How do you pronounce it?
/poneɾ una kanθjon/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb jugar (to play a game/sport) instead of poner or tocar when talking about music.
Did you know?
- Using poner to play music reflects a historical time when one had to physically 'put' a record or a tape into a player.
- The verb poner used in poner una canción is a distant relative of the English words 'post' and 'position', as both share a root meaning 'to place' or 'to put'.
- While poner una canción involves 'putting' music into a space, if you use an instrument, you must switch to the verb tocar, which is also used to mean 'to touch'.
Examples in context
- Reproduzca una canción de salsaPlay a salsa song
- Por favor, toque una canción de rockPlease play a rock song
- Pon una canción en SpotifyPlay a song on Spotify
- Toca una canción en la guitarraPlay a song on the guitar
- Reproduzca una canción por favorPlease play a song
- Pon una canción de reggaetónPlay a reggaeton song
- Voy a poner una canción.I am going to play a song.
- ¿Puedes poner una canción de rock?Can you play a rock song?
- Ella quiere poner una canción en la radio.She wants to play a song on the radio.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are in a car during a road trip.
- Alejandro¿Quieres que ponga una canción?Do you want me to play a song?
- LucíaSí, por favor, pon una canción alegre.Yes, please, play an upbeat song.
- AlejandroEstá bien, voy a poner una canción de verano.Okay, I am going to play a summer song.
- Lucía¡Esa es una buena idea, Alejandro!That is a good idea, Alejandro!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries canción, poner, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
