What does this mean?"No puede ponerse"

Question

What does this mean?"No puede ponerse" This phrase is used for telephone. Does this mean No body is picking up the phone?

Answer 1

In the light of what I have explained below, I would say that: "No puede ponerse"probably means: I cannot get to the phone/answer the phone (right now)

No contesta = No answer/response/reply

No esta en casa = not at home

se ha equivocado = wrong number (it has been incorrectly dialed / you have been mistaken)

Ponerse has a meaning that is used in Spain for the telephone - according to my Oxford Spanish Dictionary:

this is a reflexive construction as Ponerse is a relexive verb

Sentido 3 (Esp) (al teléfono) " ¿Pepe ? sí ahora se pone Pepe"

= Pepe? Yes, I'll just get him for you

Dile a tu madre que se ponga

= Tell your mother I want to speak to her, ask your mother to come to the phone

Corregid mi español, por favor

Muchas gracias!!! - Eri-Chan, Jul 16, 2010

great answer feliz;) - 00494d19, Jul 17, 2010

Thank you, Heidita - FELIZ77, Jul 17, 2010

Perfect, Feliz. - --Mariana--, Jul 17, 2010

Answer 2

Needs more context. "No puede ponerse.... what thing?" Is that how it was said/written?

I am doing hearing lesson for telephone. I have to choose from Comunica, No contesta, No esta en casa, no puede ponerse, es esa persona, se ha equvocado.... - Eri-Chan, Jul 16, 2010

mader, this is what we say here in spain, no context needed - 00494d19, Jul 17, 2010

Oooh! It's a Spanish idiom, then. Nice. :D - MadderSky, Jul 17, 2010

Answer 3

Maybe 'he can't get it (right now)' meaning he can't come to the phone. Awkward

LoL! - Jason7R, Jul 16, 2010

jeje, not awkward in Spain, this is what we say, you think directly of a phone context - 00494d19, Jul 17, 2010