Proponer Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

proponer means to propose, and it is a verb you will meet in everyday Spanish again and again. Proponer means to propose, and it covers proposing a plan in a meeting, proposing a toast, proposing a solution and proposing marriage. It is one of the most irregular verbs in this batch: the present is propongo, the preterite is propuse, the future stem is propondr- and the participle is propuesto. This page puts proponer to work: twelve example sentences in different tenses and persons, grouped by use, then two short dialogues where the verb appears naturally, then the common mistakes to avoid, and finally a ten-question quiz with explained answers. Every Spanish form on this page comes from the verified conjugation tables for proponer, and the full tables are on the proponer conjugation page if you need to check a form.

Example sentences

Everyday uses

  1. Yo propongo un nuevo horario en la reunión. — I propose a new timetable at the meeting.
  2. Él propone un brindis por los novios. — He/she proposes a toast to the newlyweds.
  3. Ayer, yo propuse una solución al problema. — Yesterday, I proposed a solution to the problem.
  4. Antes, nosotros proponíamos un plan de trabajo al equipo. — Before, we used to propose a work plan to the team.

In other tenses

  1. Mañana, tú propondrás un nuevo horario en la reunión. — Tomorrow, you will propose a new timetable at the meeting.
  2. Yo propondría un brindis por los novios. — I would propose a toast to the newlyweds.
  3. Él ha propuesto una solución al problema. — He/she has proposed a solution to the problem.
  4. Espero que él proponga un plan de trabajo al equipo. — I hope he/she proposes a work plan to the team.

With other people

  1. Nosotros proponemos un nuevo horario en la reunión. — We propose a new timetable at the meeting.
  2. Vosotros proponéis un brindis por los novios. — You all propose a toast to the newlyweds.
  3. Antes, ellos proponían una solución al problema. — Before, they used to propose a solution to the problem.
  4. Mañana, él propondrá un plan de trabajo al equipo. — Tomorrow, he/she will propose a work plan to the team.

Proponer in context

Two short dialogues that use proponer the way people really use it. Read them aloud — the verb forms will stick much faster in a conversation than in a table.

Dialogue 1: today and yesterday

  • Ana: "Hola, ¿qué tal?" — "Hello, how are you?"
  • Luis: "Hoy propongo un nuevo horario en la reunión." — "Today I propose a new timetable at the meeting."
  • Ana: "¿Y ayer?" — "And yesterday?"
  • Luis: "Ayer, propuse una solución al problema." — "Yesterday I proposed a solution to the problem."
  • Ana: "¿Y mañana, tú propondrás un brindis por los novios?" — "And tomorrow, will you will propose a toast to the newlyweds?"
  • Luis: "Sí, claro. Y tú también." — "Yes, of course. And you too."

Dialogue 2: making plans

  • Marta: "Mañana, nosotros proponemos un plan de trabajo al equipo." — "Tomorrow we propose a work plan to the team."
  • Carlos: "Perfecto. Yo propondría un brindis por los novios si tuviera más tiempo." — "Perfect. I would would propose a toast to the newlyweds if I had more time."
  • Marta: "Espero que él proponga un nuevo horario en la reunión." — "I hope he proposes a new timetable at the meeting."
  • Carlos: "Seguro que sí. Él ya ha propuesto una solución al problema." — "Surely. He has already has proposed a solution to the problem."
  • Marta: "Vale, nos vemos mañana." — "OK, see you tomorrow."

Notice how the same verb changes with the tense: the present for the plan, the conditional for the wish, the subjunctive after espero que, and the present perfect for what has already happened. That is the whole point of learning a verb across its tenses, not just in one form.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo propone un nuevo horario en la reunión. — Right: Yo propongo un nuevo horario en la reunión. — The person matters: propone is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is propongo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Yo propono un brindis por los novios. — Right: Yo propongo un brindis por los novios. — In the present, the correct first-person form is propongo, not propono. Proponer is irregular: the preterite stem is propus- (propuse, propuso), the present is propongo, the future stem is propondr-, and the participle is propuesto. Learn these as a set.
  3. Wrong: Treating proponer and sugerir as identical in every context. — Right: Proponer means to propose, while sugerir means to suggest, the lighter verb. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: proponer fits sentences such as Propongo un nuevo horario en la reunión, while sugerir belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy propuesto un brindis por los novios. — Right: Yo he propuesto un brindis por los novios. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he propuesto, has propuesto, ha propuesto. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo propuse una solución al problema todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo proponía una solución al problema todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (proponía), not the preterite. The preterite (propuse) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on proponer: four on the forms, three on the meaning, and three on spotting the correct sentence. Check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un nuevo horario en la reunión. (present tense) A. propongo B. propones C. propone D. proponemos

  2. Complete the sentence: Él ___ un brindis por los novios. (preterite tense) A. propuse B. propusiste C. propusimos D. propuso

  3. Complete the sentence: Tú ___ una solución al problema. (future tense) A. propondrá B. propondremos C. propondrás D. propondré

  4. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ un plan de trabajo al equipo. (imperfect tense) A. proponíais B. proponíamos C. proponía D. proponías

  5. What does "Yo propongo un nuevo horario en la reunión." mean in English? A. I propose a new timetable at the meeting. B. I propose a toast to the newlyweds. C. I propose a solution to the problem. D. I propose a work plan to the team.

  6. What does "Él propuso un brindis por los novios." mean in English? A. He/she proposed a new timetable at the meeting. B. He/she proposed a solution to the problem. C. He/she proposed a work plan to the team. D. He/she proposed a toast to the newlyweds.

  7. What does "Nosotros propondremos una solución al problema." mean in English? A. We will propose a toast to the newlyweds. B. We will propose a work plan to the team. C. We will propose a solution to the problem. D. We will propose a new timetable at the meeting.

  8. Which sentence is correct? A. Yo propono un brindis por los novios. B. Yo propone un brindis por los novios. C. Yo propongo un brindis por los novios.

  9. Which sentence is correct? A. Él propuse una solución al problema. B. Él propuso una solución al problema. C. Él proponió una solución al problema.

  10. Which sentence is correct? A. Espero que yo proponga un plan de trabajo al equipo. B. Yo propona un plan de trabajo al equipo. C. Yo proponga un plan de trabajo al equipo.

Answer key

  1. propongo — The yo present form of proponer is propongo.
  2. propuso — The el preterite form of proponer is propuso.
  3. propondrás — The tu future form of proponer is propondrás.
  4. proponíamos — The nosotros imperfect form of proponer is proponíamos.
  5. I propose a new timetable at the meeting. — The Spanish sentence uses the present form propongo, so the English is "I propose a new timetable at the meeting." The other options use a different object or situation.
  6. He/she proposed a toast to the newlyweds. — The Spanish sentence uses the preterite form propuso, so the English is "He/she proposed a toast to the newlyweds." The other options use a different object or situation.
  7. We will propose a solution to the problem. — The Spanish sentence uses the future form propondremos, so the English is "We will propose a solution to the problem." The other options use a different object or situation.
  8. Yo propongo un brindis por los novios. — The correct sentence is "Yo propongo un brindis por los novios." The other sentences use the wrong form or the wrong person for the subject.
  9. Él propuso una solución al problema. — The correct sentence is "Él propuso una solución al problema." The other sentences use the wrong form or the wrong person for the subject.
  10. Espero que yo proponga un plan de trabajo al equipo. — The correct sentence is "Espero que yo proponga un plan de trabajo al equipo." The other sentences use the wrong form or the wrong person for the subject.

Frequently asked questions

What does proponer mean, and when do I use it?

Proponer means to propose. Proponer means to propose, and it covers proposing a plan in a meeting, proposing a toast, proposing a solution and proposing marriage. It is one of the most irregular verbs in this batch: the present is propongo, the preterite is propuse, the future stem is propondr- and the participle is propuesto. A good first sentence to remember is Yo propongo un nuevo horario en la reunión. — "I propose a new timetable at the meeting."

What is the difference between proponer and sugerir?

Proponer means to propose, while sugerir means to suggest, the lighter verb. They appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use proponer when you mean to propose, as in Yo propongo un brindis por los novios., and use sugerir for to suggest, the lighter verb.

How do I say "I propose" in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo propuse un brindis por los novios.. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: Yo proponía una solución al problema.. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: Yo he propuesto un brindis por los novios..

How do I practise proponer?

Start with the proponer conjugation page for the full tables, then the proponer in the preterite tense page for the tense in focus, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure. Proponer is irregular: propongo in the present, propuse in the preterite, propondré in the future and propuesto as the participle. Learn these four forms as a set.

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