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.

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 Puedo

Podemos

Puedes

Podéis

Puede

Pueden

PREFERIR QUERER i ie Prefiero Quiero

Preferimos Queremos

Prefieres Quieres

Preferís Queréis

Prefiere Quiere

Prefieren Quieren

One last option…  We will learn more about this later, but you may have seen this in your book.  Using the phrase “me gusta”  You can use it with an infinitive but ONLY in the following way.

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. 