"Ponerse + adjective" means "to become, to get" + adjectivo. Imagine you were happy but suddenly you see a bad new on TV. Then you "te pones triste". It's when your mood or your emotional state changes. "Dar + adjective" means that something makes you feel +adjective. "Esa casa da miedo" means "that house is scary" (in general) "Esa casa me da miedo" means "that house is scary to me" I hope it helps.

Think in the verb "ponerse" when applied to emotions as a dress, when "te pones triste", you put on your blue dress, and when "te pones feliz" you put on the multicolor dress haha. I think the verb "to be" there wouldn't be a good translation, it would be more like "get" Yo me pongo feliz/triste=I get happy/sad About the "Dar miedo/pena", you are the giver, the creator of that feeling in other person, never in yourself. For example "Me das pena"="You make me feel pity for you"/"Me das miedo"="You make me fear you" Te da miedo/pena=It makes you feel scared/pity (Ponerse is translated literaly as "put" and dar as "give") Hope this answer is useful Stefan!. Keep working and improving :)

Sé que no soy un nativo pero siempre he entendido el verbo "ponerse" significar "to get." Siempre me pongo nervioso cuando veo la policía. I always get nervous when I see the police.

I'm not sure if this is the type of answer you are looking for but.... Te da miedo/pena = You are afraid/regretful. Te das miedo = You ARE scary! (i.e. You give fear.) Me da feliz/triste = It makes me sad. I am afraid of it. (i.e. It give me happiness/fear). Me doy feliz/triste = I get happy/sad. (i.e. I make myself happy/sad.)

Ponerse feliz o triste you use normally make me happy or sad but ponerse nervioso you translate getting nervous. Dar miedo I'm afraid of... Dar pena. Make me feel pitty