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. → studying.

I just finished

 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

IR

Tengo

Tenemos

Voy

Vamos

Tienes

Tenéis

Vas

Vais

Tiene

tienen

Va

van

Conjugations NECESITAR

DESEAR

Necesito

Necesitamos

Deseo

Deseamos

Necesitas

Necesitáis

Deseas

Deseáis

Necesita

necesitan

Desea

desean

Conjugations ACABAR

QUEDAR

Acabo

Acabamos

Quedo

Quedamos

Acabas

Acabáis

Quedas

Quedáis

Acaba

Acaban

Queda

quedan

Conjugations DEBER

TRATAR

debo

Debemos

Trato

Tratamos

debes

Debéis

Tratas

Tratáis

debe

deben

Trata

tratan

Conjugations PODER o ue

PENSAR i ie

Puedo

Podemos

pienso

pensamos

Puedes

Podéis

piensas

pensáis

Puede

Pueden

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.