Introduction
Learning how to use infinitives in Spanish is one of the fundamental grammar concepts that will significantly improve your fluency and confidence when speaking and writing Spanish. Infinitives, which are the base forms of verbs such as hablar (to speak), comer (to eat), and vivir (to live), play a crucial role in Spanish grammar. Understanding when and how to use infinitives after certain verbs and prepositions is essential for constructing grammatically correct sentences and expressing yourself naturally in Spanish. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the rules, patterns, and practical examples that will help you master this important aspect of Spanish grammar.
What Are Spanish Infinitives?
An infinitive is the base form of a verb that has not been conjugated to match a specific subject or tense. In Spanish, infinitives always end in one of three ways: -ar, -er, or -ir. These three endings represent the three main verb conjugation groups in Spanish.
For example, consider these common infinitives:
hablar (to speak)
comer (to eat)
vivir (to live)
correr (to run)
estudiar (to study)
comprender (to understand)
The infinitive form is unique because it represents the verb in its most basic state, without any indication of who is performing the action or when the action takes place. This makes infinitives incredibly versatile in Spanish grammar, as they can be used in many different contexts and sentence structures.
Using Infinitives After Conjugated Verbs
Verbs That Require a Direct Infinitive
In Spanish, certain verbs can be directly followed by an infinitive without requiring any preposition in between. These verbs include modal verbs and verbs of intent or ability. When you use one of these verbs, you simply place the infinitive immediately after the conjugated verb.
Common verbs that take a direct infinitive include:
poder (can, to be able to)
deber (should, must)
querer (to want)
ir (to go)
venir (to come)
pensar (to think, to plan)
necesitar (to need)
desear (to desire)
soler (to usually do)
Let’s look at practical examples:
Yo puedo hablar español. (I can speak Spanish.)
Ellos deben estudiar para el examen. (They must study for the exam.)
Nosotros queremos viajar a España. (We want to travel to Spain.)
Ella piensa terminar su proyecto mañana. (She plans to finish her project tomorrow.)
Necesitamos comprar comida para la cena. (We need to buy food for dinner.)
Notice how in all these sentences, the conjugated verb (poder, deber, querer, pensar, necesitar) is immediately followed by the infinitive without any preposition connecting them. This is the standard pattern for these types of verbs.
Verbs That Require a Preposition Before the Infinitive
Many Spanish verbs require a preposition before they can be followed by an infinitive. The preposition acts as a bridge between the conjugated verb and the infinitive form. The three most common prepositions used before infinitives are a, de, and en, though other prepositions can also be used.
The Preposition A Before Infinitives
The preposition a is perhaps the most commonly used preposition before infinitives in Spanish. Verbs that take the preposition a often express movement, direction, beginning an action, or learning an activity.
Common verbs that require a before the infinitive include:
aprender a (to learn to)
comenzar a (to begin to)
empezar a (to start to)
enseñar a (to teach to)
ir a (to go to)
llegar a (to arrive to, to manage to)
venir a (to come to)
ayudar a (to help to)
invitar a (to invite to)
atreverse a (to dare to)
obligar a (to force to)
Examples in context:
Yo aprendí a conducir cuando tenía dieciséis años. (I learned to drive when I was sixteen years old.)
Ellos comenzaron a trabajar en la empresa el lunes pasado. (They began to work at the company last Monday.)
¿Me enseñas a hacer paella? (Will you teach me to make paella?)
Vamos a visitar el museo esta tarde. (We are going to visit the museum this afternoon.)
María se atrevió a hablar en público por primera vez. (Maria dared to speak in public for the first time.)
The Preposition DE Before Infinitives
The preposition de is used before infinitives with verbs that express finishing, ending, or having recently completed an action. Some verbs using de also express obligation, abstaining, or prohibition.
Common verbs that require de before the infinitive include:
acabar de (to have just)
dejar de (to stop, to cease)
tratar de (to try to)
olvidar de (to forget to)
acordarse de (to remember to)
encargarse de (to take charge of)
avergonzarse de (to be ashamed of)
jactarse de (to boast of)
Examples in context:
Acabo de llegar a casa. (I have just arrived home.)
Dejaron de fumar hace un año. (They stopped smoking a year ago.)
Estoy tratando de aprender francés. (I am trying to learn French.)
Se olvidó de pagar la factura. (He forgot to pay the bill.)
¿Te acuerdas de cerrar la puerta? (Do you remember to close the door?)
The Preposition EN Before Infinitives
The preposition en is less commonly used than a or de, but it appears with certain verbs that express insisting, persisting, or becoming involved in an action.
Common verbs that use en before the infinitive include:
insistir en (to insist on)
consistir en (to consist of)
obstinarse en (to persist in)
empeñarse en (to insist on)
consentir en (to consent to)
Examples in context:
El profesor insiste en que los estudiantes participen. (The teacher insists on the students participating.)
Se obstinó en seguir adelante con sus planes. (He persisted in moving forward with his plans.)
Ella se empeñó en viajar sola. (She insisted on traveling alone.)
Using Infinitives After Prepositions
Infinitives as Objects of Prepositions
In Spanish, infinitives can serve as the object of a preposition, a function that is quite different from how prepositions work in English. When a preposition is followed by a verb, that verb must be in the infinitive form, never in a gerund or conjugated form.
This is one of the most important distinctions between Spanish and English. In English, we typically use a gerund (the -ing form) after prepositions, but in Spanish, we must use the infinitive.
Common prepositions used before infinitives include:
para (in order to, for)
por (for, because of)
sin (without)
antes de (before)
después de (after)
al (upon, when)
durante (during)
mediante (by means of)
Let’s examine practical examples:
Estoy estudiando para aprobar el examen. (I am studying in order to pass the exam.)
Caminamos durante dos horas sin descansar. (We walked for two hours without resting.)
Antes de salir, verificamos que la puerta estuviera cerrada. (Before leaving, we checked that the door was closed.)
Después de comer, tomamos un café. (After eating, we had a coffee.)
Al entrar en la sala, vimos a nuestros amigos. (Upon entering the room, we saw our friends.)
Puedes comunicarte con nosotros mediante enviar un correo electrónico. (You can communicate with us by sending an email.)
The Special Case of AL Plus Infinitive
The construction al plus infinitive deserves special attention because it is very common in Spanish and has a specific meaning. The word al is a contraction of the preposition a and the definite article el. When followed by an infinitive, this construction means when, as soon as, or upon doing something.
Examples:
Al llegar a la estación, llamé a mi amigo. (Upon arriving at the station, I called my friend.)
Al ver el accidente, los niños empezaron a llorar. (When seeing the accident, the children started to cry.)
Al abrir la puerta, encontramos una sorpresa. (Upon opening the door, we found a surprise.)
The Preposition PARA Versus POR
The prepositions para and por are often confused by Spanish learners because both can be translated as for in English. However, they have different uses when followed by infinitives.
Para is used to express purpose or intention. It answers the question why are you doing this or what is the goal.
Examples with para:
Estudiamos para tener un buen futuro. (We study in order to have a good future.)
Trabaja para ganar dinero. (He works in order to earn money.)
Necesito dinero para comprar un coche. (I need money to buy a car.)
Por, on the other hand, expresses the reason, cause, or motivation behind an action. It answers the question why did this happen or what caused this.
Examples with por:
No pude asistir por estar enfermo. (I could not attend because of being sick.)
Fue castigado por llegar tarde. (He was punished for arriving late.)
Se disculpó por romper el vaso. (She apologized for breaking the glass.)
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
One of the most frequent errors made by Spanish learners is confusing which preposition, if any, should precede an infinitive. Different verbs require different prepositions, and there is no universal rule that applies to all verbs.
The best strategy is to learn these verb and preposition combinations as fixed expressions. When you learn a new verb, also learn whether it takes a direct infinitive or requires a preposition. If it requires a preposition, make note of which one.
Another common mistake is using a gerund instead of an infinitive after a preposition. Remember that in Spanish, prepositions are always followed by infinitives, never by gerunds or conjugated verb forms.
Additionally, learners sometimes forget that after certain prepositions like para and por, you must use the infinitive, not a subjunctive or indicative conjugated form.
Practice Tips for Mastering Infinitives
To become proficient with infinitives after verbs and prepositions, consistent practice is essential. Create flashcards with verbs and their required prepositions on one side and example sentences on the other. Regular review will help cement these combinations in your memory.
Another effective technique is to read Spanish texts and highlight all the infinitives you find. Pay attention to what precedes them: is there a preposition, and if so, which one? Over time, you will develop an intuition for these patterns.
Speaking practice is equally important. Try to construct sentences using different verb and preposition combinations, and if possible, have a native speaker or language tutor correct you. Hearing the correct usage repeatedly will reinforce your learning.
Conclusion
Mastering Spanish infinitives after verbs and prepositions is a crucial step toward achieving fluency in the language. While the rules may seem complex at first, understanding the fundamental patterns of which verbs take direct infinitives, which require a preposition, and which prepositions pair with specific verbs will dramatically improve your ability to construct grammatically correct sentences. Remember that many of these combinations must be learned as fixed expressions, and consistent practice through reading, writing, speaking, and listening will help you internalize these patterns until they become second nature in your Spanish communication.
