【英文版西语语法】More on Spanish Infinitives

 Overview

 

The infinitive is the most basic form of a verb. Verbs in the infinitive form indicate what an action is, but do not indicate anything about who is doing the action or at what point in time the action is taking place.

 

Infinitives as Nouns

 

In Spanish, when a verb functions as a noun, the infinitive is used, and it is always singular and masculine. It can be used as the subject of a sentence or the object of another verb or preposition.

 

When the infinitive is used as a noun, you don't usually use an article (such as el or un) with it, though it's acceptable to use the article el in front of an infinitive that is the subject of a sentence.

 

Bailar tango es difícil.

Dancing the tango is hard.

 

Está prohibido sacar fotos aquí.

Taking pictures is prohibited here.

 

Pienso salir con él.

I am thinking about going out with him.

 

Lo hice sin pensar.

I did it without thinking.

 

El nadar es buen ejercicio.

Swimming is good exercise.

 

English Translations of Spanish Infinitives

 

Spanish infinitives can often be translated into English as infinitives (like to do) or gerunds (like doing).

 

Me gusta nadar.

I like to swim./I like swimming.

 

Hablar español es divertido.

Speaking Spanish is fun./It is fun to speak Spanish.

 

Infinitive Commands

 

To form an infinitive command, simply use the word no followed by an infinitive. You don't need to conjugate anything!

 

No fumar.

No smoking.

 

Batir los huevos.

Beat the eggs.

 

Verbs Used with Infinitives

 

Here are some verbs and verb phrases commonly used before another verb in the infinitive.

 

aceptar

 

to accept

acordar

 

to agree

afirmar

 

to say/state

amenazar

 

to threaten

anhelar

 

to long for

asegurar

 

to assure

buscar

 

to look for

creer

 

to believe

deber

 

to have to, should

decidir

 

to decide

demostrar

 

to show

desear

 

to desire/want

enseñar a

 

to teach

esperar

 

to hope for

fingir

 

to pretend

gustar

 

to like

intentar

 

to try

ir a

 

to go

lamentar

 

to regret

lograr

 

to succeed in

negar

 

to deny

pensar en

 

to think about/of

poder

 

to be able to

preferir

 

to prefer

prometer

 

to promise

querer

 

to want

reconocer

 

to acknowledge

recordar

 

to remember

seguir

 

to follow/to continue

sentir

 

to feel

soler

 

to be used to

temer

 

to fear

tener que

 

to have

tratar de

 

to try

Vamos a bailar.

We are going to dance.

 

Tienes que sacar la basura.

You have to take out the trash.

 

Quiero salir para la fiesta.

I want to leave for the party.

 

Me gusta dibujar.

I like to draw.