Enseñar a mi hijo a leer: Spanish verb patterns with two infinitives

Introduction

Learning how to use verb patterns with two infinitives helps English-speaking learners make natural Spanish sentences like enseñar a mi hijo a leer. This article explains how verbs combine with a + infinitive, prepositions, and object pronouns so you can form clear, native-sounding phrases.

What are verb patterns with two infinitives?

In Spanish, some sentences contain two infinitives in sequence, often linked by a preposition such as a or de. These patterns occur when one verb governs another verb that remains in the infinitive form. The structure allows you to express things like intention, obligation, permission, or teaching. Understanding these patterns is essential for both everyday speech and classroom language.

Basic structure: verb + a + infinitive

The most common pattern is verb + a + infinitive. This happens with verbs that indicate movement, instruction, or beginning, and with many impersonal constructions. The first verb is conjugated; the second remains infinitive. Examples:

Voy a estudiar.

Empezó a llover.

Ella me enseñó a cocinar.

Note how the second verb stays in the infinitive and does not change with the subject.

Common verbs that take a + infinitive

Many everyday verbs require a before another verb. Memorizing the most frequent ones will help you recognize the pattern. Important verbs include:

ir a (to be going to), empezar a (to begin to), volver a (to do again), aprender a (to learn to), enseñar a (to teach to), ayudar a (to help to), decidirse a (to decide to).

Examples:

Voy a practicar el vocabulario.

Aprendí a nadar cuando era niño.

Te ayudará a terminar la tarea.

How the phrase enseñar a mi hijo a leer works

The phrase enseñar a mi hijo a leer literally means to teach my child to read. It contains two infinitives: enseñar is conjugated (or in infinitive form when used as a noun or after another verb) and leer is the second infinitive introduced by the preposition a. The pattern here is enseñar a + person + a + infinitive, though in practice the object (person) often comes between the two a prepositions.

Breakdown:

enseñar = to teach (first verb)

a mi hijo = indirect object, the person being taught

a leer = preposition a + infinitive expressing what is being taught

Examples in context:

Quiero enseñar a mi hijo a leer.

Mis padres me enseñaron a leer cuando tenía cinco años.

Position of the object

The indirect object can appear before or after the second a. Both are grammatical, but the common order is verb + a + person + a + infinitive. You can also use pronouns for the person: me, te, le, nos, os, les. When you use an indirect object pronoun, it usually precedes the conjugated verb.

Examples with pronouns:

Quiero enseñarle a leer.
Se lo enseñé a mi sobrino. (Here se lo refers to the direct and indirect object combined in a common pronominal sequence.)

Note that enseñar can take both a direct object (what is taught) and an indirect object (who is taught), but the second infinitive typically expresses the content rather than acting as a direct object.

Other verbs that allow two infinitives

Not all verbs use a to link to another verb. Some take an infinitive without a preposition; others use de. Understanding which verbs use which pattern is crucial.

Verbs followed directly by an infinitive (no preposition)

Some verbs simply take a second verb in the infinitive without any preposition. These verbs are often modal in nature or express perception or desire. Examples:

poder + infinitive: puedo ir

querer + infinitive: quiero comer

deber + infinitive: debo estudiar

seguir + gerund or infinitive in certain dialects: sigue trabajar (informal in some regions)

Examples:

Puedo ayudar a mi hijo a leer.
Quiero aprender español.

Verbs followed by de + infinitive

Other verbs require de before the infinitive. These often express feelings, advice, or certain mental attitudes. Common verbs include: acabar de (to have just), tratar de (to try to), dejar de (to stop), olvidarse de (to forget to), arrepentirse de (to regret doing).

Examples:

Acabo de terminar la lección.

Trato de ayudar a mi hijo con la lectura.

Using pronouns and clitic placement with double-infinitive patterns

When a sentence contains two infinitives and an object pronoun, Spanish has flexible pronoun placement rules. Pronouns can attach to the infinitive or precede the conjugated verb. With double-infinitive constructions, the pronoun usually attaches to the final verb, but both options are possible when the first verb is conjugated and the second is an infinitive.

Example with clitic attached to the infinitive:

Voy a enseñarlo. (I am going to teach it.)

Or with pronoun before the conjugated verb:

Lo voy a enseñar.

When there are two infinitives, attach the pronoun to the last infinitive:

Voy a enseñárselo a mi hijo.
Se lo voy a enseñar a mi hijo.

Note how se replaces le when le lo would appear, following clitic combination rules.

Reflexive verbs and two infinitives

Reflexive verbs work similarly: the reflexive pronoun can attach to the infinitive or precede the conjugated verb. For example, with levantarse:

Voy a levantarme temprano.
Me voy a levantar temprano.

The same flexibility applies when a verb like enseñar is part of the sequence and the action involves a reflexive process.

Tense and aspect with double-infinitive constructions

Since the second verb remains in the infinitive, the time reference and aspect are controlled by the conjugated verb. To change the time frame, conjugate the first verb accordingly. The infinitive does not change to indicate tense by itself.

Present intention:

Voy a enseñar a mi hijo a leer. (I am going to teach my child to read.)

Past action with intent or completed action:

Quise enseñarle a leer, pero fue difícil. (I wanted to teach him to read, but it was difficult.)

Conditional or future nuances:

Me gustaría enseñar a mi hijo a leer.
Enseñaré a mi hijo a leer cuando tenga tiempo.

Using infinitive periphrasis to express obligation or necessity

Spanish also forms periphrastic constructions for obligation or necessity that include infinitives. For example:

tener que + infinitive: Tengo que enseñar a mi hijo a leer.

hay que + infinitive: Hay que enseñar a los niños a leer.

These patterns still use an infinitive as the second verb, but the governing verb determines modality such as obligation, necessity, or possibility.

Practical examples and variations

Seeing the structure in a range of real sentences helps internalize the pattern. Here are several natural examples using verbs that commonly take a + infinitive or no preposition:

Mi hermana enseñó a su hijo a nadar.

Voy a enseñar a los niños a escribir correctamente.

¿Puedes enseñarme a usar este libro?
Muéstrame cómo enseñar a un estudiante tímido.

Necesito aprender a leer en voz alta para ayudar a mi hijo.

Ellos empezaron a enseñar a los nuevos voluntarios a organizar juegos.

Colloquial reductions and spoken Spanish

In casual speech, native speakers sometimes drop the second a or compress phrases, but formal writing keeps both prepositions clear. For learners, aim to include both a prepositions and the indirect object when required to avoid ambiguity.

Colloquial: Voy a enseñarle a leer.
Careful: Voy a enseñarle leer. (This sounds nonstandard or wrong in many contexts.)

Cultural and usage notes

Teaching and education-related verbs are common in family and school contexts in Spanish-speaking cultures. The phrase enseñar a mi hijo a leer reflects a parental role that is often discussed in schools, parenting guides, and everyday conversations. In many Spanish-speaking countries, community and family involvement in early literacy is emphasized, so you will hear similar structures used frequently in practical advice and storytelling.

Additionally, when discussing formal education, verbs like enseñar, educar, and instruir may appear with different prepositional patterns and register differences. Enseñar is the most common everyday verb for showing or teaching skills such as reading.

Common mistakes to avoid

Beginners often make these errors with double-infinitive patterns:

Omitting the preposition a after verbs that require it: Incorrect: Quiero enseñar mi hijo leer. Correct: Quiero enseñar a mi hijo a leer.

Using the wrong preposition: Incorrect: Empezó en leer. Correct: Empezó a leer.

Misplacing pronouns so the sentence becomes awkward: Prefer standardized placement for clarity, either attached to the infinitive or before the conjugated verb.

Conclusion

Mastering verb patterns with two infinitives, such as enseñar a mi hijo a leer, gives you a powerful tool for expressing instruction, intention, obligation, and more. Remember the common verbs that take a + infinitive, those that take no preposition, and those that take de. Practice noticing the indirect object placement and pronoun attachment. With time, these double-infinitive structures will feel natural in both speech and writing.