Spanish grammar
Tómatela, póntela: te + lo / la in commands
Understand and give instructions for taking medicine.
From the scene Tómatela con agua (Take it with water)
In short
Attach pronouns to yes commands, me / te first, with an accent: tómatela. In no commands, put them before.
- take it (la medicina) tómatela
- put it on (la crema) póntela
- put some ice on ponte hielo
- take my blood pressure tómame la tensión
- don’t forget it no lo olvides
Your turn
Which one goes with put it on (la crema)?
Options: ponte hielo · póntela · tómatela
Show answer
put it on (la crema) → póntela
How it works
With tomar and poner, Spanish often adds te when it is for your own body: ponte hielo.
Good to know
In a positive command, the pronouns are glued to the end of the verb, me or te first: dámela, tómatela, póntela.
Good to know
Add an accent so the stress stays in the same place. In a negative command, they go before the verb: no lo olvides.
take it (la medicina) tómatela
Javi
Esta medicina, tómatela con agua. Vas a notar el efecto.
This medicine: take it with water. You’ll feel the effect.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Esta medicina, (blank) con agua. Vas a notar el efecto.
Options: ponte hielo · tómatela · póntela
Show answer
Javi
Esta medicina, tómatela con agua. Vas a notar el efecto.
This medicine: take it with water. You’ll feel the effect.
put it on (la crema) póntela
Javi
Esta crema, póntela por la noche. Y ponte hielo.
This cream, put it on at night. And put some ice on.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Esta crema, (blank) por la noche. Y ponte hielo.
Options: póntela · tómatela · tómame la tensión
Show answer
Javi
Esta crema, póntela por la noche. Y ponte hielo.
This cream, put it on at night. And put some ice on.
put some ice on ponte hielo
Javi
Esta crema, póntela por la noche. Y ponte hielo.
This cream, put it on at night. And put some ice on.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Esta crema, póntela por la noche. Y (blank).
Options: ponte hielo · tómatela · tómame la tensión
Show answer
Javi
Esta crema, póntela por la noche. Y ponte hielo.
This cream, put it on at night. And put some ice on.
take my blood pressure tómame la tensión
Ramón
Javi, tómame la tensión. Tengo el cuerpo sin energía.
Javi, take my blood pressure. I’ve got no energy at all.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Javi, (blank). Tengo el cuerpo sin energía.
Options: póntela · tómame la tensión · tómatela
Show answer
Ramón
Javi, tómame la tensión. Tengo el cuerpo sin energía.
Javi, take my blood pressure. I’ve got no energy at all.
don’t forget it no lo olvides
Common mistake
Not dámelo or la dame here. Give it to me — la receta.
¿Aún te duele, Nuria? La receta, dámela.
Does it still hurt, Nuria? The prescription, give it to me.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| take it (la medicina) | tómatela |
|---|---|
| put it on (la crema) | póntela |
| put some ice on | ponte hielo |
| take my blood pressure | tómame la tensión |
| don’t forget it | no lo olvides |
More lines from the story
- Javi¿Aún te duele, Nuria? La receta, dámela.Does it still hurt, Nuria? The prescription, give it to me.
- JaviCalma, Don Ramón. Tres veces al día, como máximo.Calm down, Don Ramón. Three times a day, at most.
- JaviPara usted, la mejor medicina: ¡un ascensor!For you, the best medicine: a lift!