Se pone a llover

Question

It's starting to rain, because ponerse can indicated a "start" to something, like "no pongas a llorer" = don't start crying? Gracias.

Answer 1

You can say "se pone a llorar" to mean someone starts to cry...at the least provocation, say. Se pone a llover doesn't work, though. Normally people say "empieza a llover" or "comienza a llover."

I think "se pone" is something that only humans and animals do: "se pone a limpiar", "se pone a cantar", "se pone a saltar".... Seems to be the start of an action that requires an act of will.

But they said it on the show when it started to rain, and it has half a million google hits, and here's a song called "si se pone a llover" http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=8&ved=0CDUQFjAH&url=http://www.listengo.com/song/8626285&rct; - jeezzle, Sep 1, 2010

Perhpaps it's a regional thing, then. Thinking again about it, I reckon that yes, it *can* work. Just not an expression I use. Sounds a bit weird to my ears. - Gekkosan, Sep 1, 2010