【英文版西语语法】Infinitives in Spanish

 The infinitive (el infinitivo ) is the most basic form of a Spanish verb. Verbs in the infinitive form are not conjugated and do not indicate anything about who is performing an action or at what point in time the action is taking place.

In English, infinitive verbs are preceded by the word to, as in to speak, to read, or to write.

In Spanish, infinitives are only one word and end in either -ar, -er, or -ir, as in hablar , leer , and escribir .

Verb Stems

 

Many verb tenses use a form of the infinitive as the stem to which verb conjugation endings are attached. In general, for regular verbs, you simply need to remove the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir) to find the stem, and then you can the add specific endings needed to give tense/subject information.

 

-ar Verbs

 

Verbs that end in-ar are more common than -er and -ir verbs. There are also fewer irregular -ar verbs than -er or -ir verbs. Here are some examples of common -ar infinitives and their stems.

 

Infinitive Definition Stem

buscar

 

to look for busc-

cantar

 

to sing cant-

comprar

 

to buy compr-

escuchar

 

to listen to escuch-

extrañar

 

to miss/to yearn for extrañ-

hablar

 

to speak habl-

llamar

 

to call llam-

llenar

 

to fill llen-

llevar

 

to carry llev-

mirar

 

to watch mir-

visitar

 

to visit visit-

-er Verbs

 

Verbs that end in -er are the second-largest group of infinitives in Spanish. Here are some examples of common -er infinitives and their stems.

 

Infinitive Definition Stem

beber

 

to drink beb-

comer

 

to eat com-

comprender

 

to understand comprend-

correr

 

to run corr-

creer

 

to believe cre-

deber

 

to owe deb-

leer

 

to read le-

meter

 

to put into met-

romper

 

to break romp-

vender

 

to sell vend-

-ir Verbs

 

Verbs that end in -ir are the smallest group of Spanish infinitives. Here are some examples of common -ir infinitives and their stems.

 

Infinitive Definition Stem

abrir

 

to open abr-

asistir

 

to attend asist-

cubrir

 

to cover cubr-

escribir

 

to write escrib-

incluir

 

to include inclu-

pedir

 

to order ped-

permitir

 

to allow permit-

recibir

 

to receive recib-

servir

 

to serve serv-

vivir

 

to live viv-