Ponte para las cosas o (Póngase para las cosas)

[Lesley D]

In a recent thread one of our fellow DR1 posters inquired about a Cuban expression "Póngase para las cosas" or "Ponte para las cosas". At the time I was not sure of the meaning because I had never heard the expression not even among my Cuban friends and it's an expression that cannot be understood without a phrase in context or a situation/scenario how it's used. Anyway I made a note to myself to follow up when I had a chance and I did. One of my Cuban friends is quite up to date with expressions and I asked her and here is what she explained to me. It could be used in several contexts.

My friend’s explanation:

Es una frase muy simpática y muy popular, no necesariamente vulgar pero sí callejera, todo el mundo en Cuba lo dice.


1) If you are with a group of people conversing about xxx and you don’t understand what’s being said or you are not up to date with the happenings, you are idle and not working as you should be or preoccupied with another issue etc. one person in the group might say:

'ponte pa' las cosas que te veo un poco lejos, por ejemplo. También te puede decir: Oye, ponte pa' las cosas y trabaja que te veo un poco entretenido/a en el trabajo'.


2) Piropo- ejemplo

Juan y Pepito están parados en una esquina conversando y pasa una mujer con un vestido bien apretado bien sexy.

Juan le dice a la mujer: Oye chica que buena tú estás
Pepito le dice a Juan: Oye Juan, déjate de gracias y ponte pa' las cosas que esa fue novia mía y no quiero que nadie la esté piropeando.

Keep in mind these kinds of expressions go hand and hand with the people who use them in a certain context, which my friend kindly commented in her response to me. In example #1 it is used as a daily everyday colloquial expression. In example #2 it is 'más callejera' and associated with a lower class social group.


__________________

This topic gives me the opportunity to post an article that I read on the weekend in a Cuban newspaper that discusses 'chabacanería'. As a society 'How do we (Cubans) speak?'. 'Do we come across as colloquial, informal, vulgar?' etc. Since the Spanish language is so vivacious it allows for a lively informal speech but one has to be able to differentiate between acceptable informal speech and what is considered 'chabacano'.

It's a good commentary. chabacano o no


-LDG.

[Sholly24]

Originally Posted by Lesley D

In a recent thread one of our fellow DR1 posters inquired about a Cuban expression " Póngase para las cosas or Ponte para las cosas". At the time I was not sure of the meaning because I had never heard the expression not even among my Cuban friends and it's an expression that cannot be understood without a phrase in context or a situation/scenario how it's used. Anyway I made a note to myself to follow up when I had a chance and I did. One of my Cuban friends is quite up to date with expressions and I asked her and here is what she explained to me. It could be used in several contexts.

My friend’s explanation:

Es una frase muy simpática y muy popular, no necesariamente vulgar pero si callejera, todo el mundo en Cuba lo dice.


1) If you are with a group of people conversing about xxx and you don’t understand what’s being said or you are not up to date with the happenings, you are idle and not working as you should be or preoccupied with another issue etc. one person in the group might say:

'ponte pa' las cosas que te veo un poco lejos, por ejemplo. También te puede decir: Oye, ponte pa’ las cosas y trabaja que te veo un poco entretenida en el trabajo'.


2) Piropo- ejemplo

Juan y Pepito están parados en una esquina conversando y pasa una mujer con un vestido bien apretado bien sexy.

Juan le dice a la mujer: Oye chica que buena tú estas
Pepito le dice a Juan: Oye Juan, déjate de gracias y ponte pa’ las cosas que esa fue novia mía y no quiero que nadie la esté piropeando.

Keep in mind these kinds of expressions go hand and hand with the people who use them in a certain context, which my friend kindly commented in her response to me. In example #1 it is used as a daily everyday colloquial expression. In example #2 it is 'más callejera' and associated with a lower class social group.


__________________

This topic gives me the opportunity to post an article that I read on the weekend in a Cuban newspaper that discusses 'chabacanería'. As a society 'How do we (Cubans) speak?'. Do we come across as colloquial, informal, vulgar etc. Since the Spanish language is so vivacious it allows for a lively informal speech but one has to be able to differentiate between acceptable informal speech and what is considered 'chabacano'.

It's a good commentary. chabacano o no


-LDG.

Very excellent information that you have put out here. Muchas gracias por tu ayuda muy excellente. For a student of spanish, a very wonderful help.

I also have some questions about the use of 'fueramos' with 'me gustaria' ( a question raised on another thread). I discussed my confusion with my tutor and she seems to understand what I was confused about from the point of view of a native english speaker. She is currently doing some research and when she responds, I hope to compare her response with the responses of the forum members.

Thanks a lot

Sholly

[juancarlos]

Very good, Lesley. I had no idea what that phrase meant. I took a look at the Cienfuegos page also.