Infinitives are the basic form of a verb, which means they are not conjugated. In Spanish, they are verbs that end in either -ar, -er, and -ir. According to these endings, infinitives are classified into three classes or conjugations:
| First conjugation | caminar | to walk |
|---|---|---|
| Second conjugation | comer | to eat |
| Third conjugation | vivir | to live |
Infinitives can be used three ways: as a subject, after a conjugated verb, or after a preposition.
| As a subject | Vivir aquí es un privilegio. | Living here is a privilege. |
|---|---|---|
| After a verb | Olvidé devolver el libro. | I forgot to return the book. |
| After a preposition | Revísalo antes de dormir. | Double-check before going to bed. |
When we compare the previous examples with their translations, it’s noticeable how English often uses gerunds (verbs ending in “-ing”) in the contexts in which Spanish prefers infinitives.
Ready to know more? Keep on reading!
When to use infinitives in Spanish?
In most cases, infinitives in Spanish function very similarly to infinitives in English; however, unlike English, Spanish infinitives can also function as nouns, for example, the subject of a verb. The equivalent of this verbal noun in English is a gerund – verbs ending in “-ing.” As you can see, there are some key differences between the use of the infinitive in Spanish and English. Let’s explore them.
Infinitive as a subject of the verb
In Spanish, infinitives can be used as the subject of a verb. When infinitives are used as subjects, they usually appear before the verb and can optionally be preceded by the definite article el meaning the. Notice that in English, when a verb is used as a subject, it uses a gerund – a verb ending in “-ing.”
(El) Hacer ejercicio es bueno para la salud. meaning Working out is good for your health.There are two other uses of infinitives as subjects that are different from English.
The verb gustar meaning to like and similar verbs that require indirect object pronouns are followed by their subject. When the subject of these verbs is a verb, it must be an infinitive. Notice that in English you would use an “-ing” verb or an infinitive with “to,” but in Spanish a gerund is not possible after these types of verbs.
Me gusta nadar por las mañanas.Translation: I like swimming/to swim in the mornings.Le encanta leer novelas románticas.Translation: He loves reading/to read romance books.Infinitives are also used after impersonal constructions with ser as in, es + adjective + infinitive and es + article/possessive + noun + ser (infinitive) + adjective:
Es necesario estudiar.Translation: It’s necessary to study.Es un placer ayudar.Translation: It’s a pleasure to help.Es mi obligación ser puntual.Translation: It’s my obligation to be punctual.
Infinitive after a conjugated verb
Similar to English, infinitives are used after a conjugated verb. For example, after a modal verb or as complements of a verb.
There are verbs in Spanish that require a particular preposition before adding an infinitive. To know more about these verbs, keep reading!
In English there are certain verbs, like “avoid,” “enjoy,” and “imagine,” that must be followed by an “-ing” verb, called “gerund,” whereas in Spanish you must use an infinitive:
Check out a complete list of Spanish verbs followed by an infinitive here.
Infinitive after a preposition
In Spanish, when you use a verb after a preposition, you always need it to be in the infinitive form. Notice that in English you use an “-ing” verb.
Verbs that require a preposition, such as venir a meaning to come to, llegar a meaning to come to, andar/caminar a meaning to walk to, correr a meaning to run to, salir a meaning to leave to, are always followed by an infinitive.
Vine a comprar un par de zapatos.Translation: I came to buy a pair of shoes.For more Spanish verbs followed by a preposition, click the link!
An infinitive is used after expressions including a preposition such as fácil de meaning easy to, difícil de meaning difficult to, posible de meaning possible to, and imposible de meaning impossible to:
Este libro es imposible de terminar.Translation: This book is impossible to finish.We use an infinitive after al (a +el) for actions that occur at the same time as the main verb. The English equivalent of this construction would be “upon + -ing verb”:
Al entrar, dijo hola.Translation: Upon entering, he said hello.The use of infinitives after a preposition contrasts with use of the subjunctive after certain prepositions followed by que: (antes de que meaning before, después de que meaning after, para que meaning in order to, etc). An infinitive without que is used when the subject is the same in both parts of the sentence, whereas the subjunctive is used after que when the subjects are different:
Lo hice antes de salir.Translation: I did it before leaving.Lo hice antes de que llegaras.Translation: I did it before you arrived.
Other uses
We use an infinitive after expressions with hay que meaning to have to or tener que meaning to have to (including hay/tener algo que meaning something to / nada que meaning nothing to / poco que meaning little to):
Hay que escoger el tipo de tela que quieres para el traje.Translation: We have to choose the type of fabric you want for the suit.Tengo que terminar antes de mañana.Translation: I have to finish before tomorrow.No tienes nada que perder.Translation: You have nothing to lose.Want to know more about these expressions? Check out "How to express oblication in Spanish?"
An infinitive is equivalent to a command or a general statement in signs, posters, questions, and ads:
No correr.Translation: No running.¿Por qué pagar más?Translation: Why pay more?
How to form and use the perfect infinitive in Spanish?
The perfect infinitive is formed using the infinitive of the auxiliary haber meaning to have followed by the past participle of a verb. It is used together with another verb to express an action that occurred before the action of the main verb. In order to use it, both actions must have the same subject. Perfect infinitives are used in the same contexts as simple infinitives (as the subject or after a conjugated verb and after a preposition) like in the following examples:
Summary
Infinitives are the standard dictionary form of all verbs. They can end in either -ar, -er, or -ir. They can function like nouns, therefore, they can be the subject of a sentence. Infinitives are used more frequently in Spanish than in English:
Verbs and expressions that require an infinitive in English also require an infinitive in Spanish.
Almost all verbs that are followed by an “-ing” verb in English are followed by an infinitive in Spanish.
Prepositions require a “-ing” verb in English, but they require an infinitive in Spanish.
Check out this chart with a summary of uses of the Spanish infinitive and examples.
Ready to practice? Check out this activity (it includes an answer key!)
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