Fun with infinitives

Fun with Infinitives

Infinitives in Spanish are unassigned actions that when translated into English always start with the word “to”.

Spanish- CANTAR

English- “to sing”

Fun with Infinitives

The infinitive is very versatile because you can combine it with conjugated verbs and verb phrases to say a variety of statements and expressions in Spanish. These expressions are called:

Plus (+) Infinitive expressions

Plus (+) Infinitive expressions

In the “plus (+) infinitive” expressions you have an auxiliary verb or auxiliary verb phrase PLUS an infinitive.

How to use these expressions is simple:

the auxiliary verb is the first verb in the phrase and the infinitive usually follows.

The infinitive DOES NOT change, it stays in the infinitive form.

Plus (+) Infinitive expressions

TENER + que + infinitive

to have to do something

Tengo que estudiar. → I have to study

IR + a + infinitive

to plan to do something

Voy a estudiar. → I am going to study.

Plus (+) Infinitive expressions

NECESITAR + infinitive

to need to do something

Necesito estudiar. → I need to study.

DESEAR + infinitive

to desire to do something

Deseo estudiar. → I desire to study.

Plus (+) Infinitive expressions

ACABAR + de + infinitive

to have just done something

Acabo de estudiar. → I just finished studying.

QUEDAR + en + infinitive

to agree to do something

Quedo en estudiar. → I agree to study.

Plus (+) Infinitive expressions

TRATAR + de + infinitive

to try to do something

Trato de estudiar. → I try to study.

DEBER + infinitive

to ought to do something

Debo estudiar. → I should study.

Plus (+) Infinitive expressions

*PREFERIR + infinitive

to prefer to do something

Prefiero estudiar. → I prefer to study.

*PODER + infinitive

to be able to do something

Puedo estudiar. → I am able to (can) study.

*QUERER + infinitive

to want to do something

Quiero estudiar. → I want to study.

Plus (+) Infinitive expressions

*PENSAR + infinitive

to think about doing something

Pienso estudiar. → I am thinking about studying.

*SOLER + infinitive

To usually do something

Suelo estudiar por la tarde. → I usually study in

the afternoon.

Para entender mejor

As you can see in the preceding examples they only verbs you will need to know how to conjugate are the auxiliary verbs.

On the following slides you will find the conjugations of the auxiliary verbs.

Conjugations

TENER

Tengo Tenemos

Tienes Tenéis

Tiene tienen

IR

Voy Vamos

Vas Vais

Va van

Conjugations

NECESITAR

Necesito Necesitamos

Necesitas Necesitáis

Necesita necesitan

DESEAR

Deseo Deseamos

Deseas Deseáis

Desea desean

Conjugations

ACABAR

Acabo Acabamos

Acabas Acabáis

Acaba Acaban

QUEDAR

Quedo Quedamos

Quedas Quedáis

Queda quedan

Conjugations

DEBER

debo Debemos

debes Debéis

debe deben

TRATAR

Trato Tratamos

Tratas Tratáis

Trata tratan

Conjugations

PODER

o ue

Puedo Podemos

Puedes Podéis

Puede Pueden

PENSAR

i ie

pienso pensamos

piensas pensáis

piensa piensan

Conjugations

SOLER

o ue

suelo solemos

sueles soléis

suele suelen

PREFERIR

QUERER

i ie

Prefiero

Quiero

Preferimos

Queremos

Prefieres

Quieres

Preferís

Queréis

Prefiere

Quiere

Prefieren

Quieren

Other “+ infinitives”

There are a few other phrases that are followed by infinitives but they do not express a future action.

Nevertheless they are useful because they help you express yourself in Spanish.

GUSTAR + infinitive

GUSTAR and similar verbs can be used to express feeling about doing certain activities.

Me gusta nadar.

Swimming is pleasing to me. (literal)

I like swimming.

In this case, the infinitive translates to an “-ing” (gerund) in English.

Using GUSTAR + infinitive

*object pronoun + gusta + infinitive verb

Me gusta leer el libro. I like to read the book.

(Reading the book is pleasing to me.)

Te gusta leer el libro. You like to read the book. (inf.)

A él le gusta leer el libro. He likes to read the book.

A ella le gusta leer el libro. She likes to read the book.

A Ud. le gusta leer el libro. You like to read the book. (for.)

Using GUSTAR + infinitive

*object pronoun + gusta + infinitive verb

Nos gusta leer el libro. We like to read the book.

Os gusta leer el libro. Y’all like to read the book. (inf.)

A ellos les gusta leer el libro. They like to read the book.

A ellas les gusta leer el libro. They like to read the book. (f.)

A Uds. Les gusta leer el libro. You all like to read the book. (for.)

Using GUSTAR + infinitive

You can use any amount of infinitives in this construction as well.

Me gusta aprender y leer.

I like to learn and read.

Me gusta cocinar, beber y comer.

I like to cook, drink and eat.

Keep in mind that “gusta” NEVER changes. We will go into this more later.

SABER + infinitive

When you use the above construction it describes knowledge and capability to perform a certain action or actions.

Yo sé cocinar paella.

I know how to cook paella.

Ella sabe coser y tejer.

She knows how to sew and knit.

In both cases, the construction indicates that they know how to do something by heart.

Before & After

When you want to express a timeline you can use the following constructions:

antes de + infinitive

Antes de ducharme, me cepillo los dientes.

Before showering, I brush my teeth.

después de + infinitive

Después de cocinar la cena, lavo los platos.

After cooking dinner, I wash the dishes.

Notice how the English gerund appears in the translation? This is one aspect of the functionality of certain “+ infinitive phrases”

PARA + infinitive

When you use the above construction it gives the connotation of in order to do an action.

Para viajar a Chicago, debes tomar un avión.

In order to travel to Chicago, you should take a plane.

Para poder hacer las galletas, necesitas mantequilla.

In order to be able to make cookies, you need butter.

Para comprar por internet, necesitas una tarjeta de

crédito.

In order to shop on the internet, you need a credit card.

Notice in the second example the PARA is followed by two infinitives? This is possible when using PODER.

Conclusion

The “+ infinitive” phrase: Can be used to express future actions

Can be used to express a recent past action

(acabar de + infinitive)

Can be used to express routine actions

(soler + infinitive)

Can be used to express preferences GUSTAR & PREFERIR

Can be used to express the English gerund

Can be used to express timelines.

May be used with more than one infinitive with PODER as one of the infinitives.