Overview
In Spanish, a verbal periphrasis is a verbal construction made of two verb forms, a conjugated form and an impersonal form (an infinitive, gerund, or participle). Both the informal future and present progressive use verbal periphrasis.
Voy a comprar una camisa.
I am going to buy a shirt.
Está nadando muy bien.
He is swimming very well.
Common Types of Verbal Periphrasis
Ir + Preposition + Infinitive
Formula
conjugated form of ir + preposition + infinitive
Voy a estudiar.
I am going to study.
Haber + Past Participle
Formula
conjugated form of haber + past participle
¿Has ido a España?
Have you been to Spain?
Estar + Gerund
Formula
conjugated form of estar + gerund
Están leyendo un libro.
She is reading a book.
List of Common Examples of Verbal Periphrasis
Verb + Infinitivo
acabar
de
+ infinitivo to have just done something
acertar
a
+ infinitivo to manage to do something
acostumbrar
a
+ infinitivo to get used to doing something
alcanzar
a
+ infinitivo to be able to do something
cesar
de
+ infinitivo to cease to do something
comenzar
a
+ infinitivo to being to do something
deber
+ infinitivo to have to do something
dejar
de
+ infinitivo to stop doing something
echa(se)
a
+ infinitivo to burst/break into doing something
empezar
a
+ infinitivo to begin to do something
estar
por
+ infinitivo to be on the verge of doing something
estar a punto
de
+ infinitivo to be about to do something
haber
de/que
+ infinitivo to have to do something
ir
a
+ infinitivo going to do something
poder
+ infinitivo to be able to do something
ponerse
a
+ infinitivo to start to do something
quedar
por
+ infinitivo to remain to do something
llegar
a
+ infinitivo to come to do something
romper
a
+ infinitivo to suddenly start doing something
soler
+ infinitivo (to do something usually
venir
a
+ infinitivo to come to do something
volver
a
+ infinitivo to return to do something
tardar
en
+ infinitivo to take a long time to do something
tener
que
+ infinitivo to have to do something
terminar
de
+ infinitivo to finish doing something
Verb + Gerundio
andar
+ gerundio to be doing something
estar
+ gerundio to be doing something
ir
+ gerundio to be gradually doing something
llevar
+ gerundio to continue to do something from the past
seguir
+ gerundio to keep doing something
venir
+ gerundio to have been doing something
Verb + Past Participle
dejar hecho
to leave completed
haber
+ past participle to have done something
llevar puesto
to have on
sentirse
+ past participle to feel + past participle
verse
+ past participle to see oneself as + past participle
