Severn Spanish

Infinitives III

 

 

Introduction/Review

Remember the structure of Spanish infinitives: -ar, -er, and -ir endings. Infinitives mean “to _________.”

Also remember that you can use infinitives as the subjects of verb, such as in these examples:

Enseñar es el trabajo más importante. (Teaching is the most important job.)

Comer frutas es bueno para el estomago. (Eating fruits is good for the stomach.)

 

Using infinitives to say “Upon _________”

There is another way to use infinitives that allows you to express “Upon _________," where the blank is filled with a verb (like "upon smelling my shoes, I immediately threw them in the washer"). This structure is al + infinitive.

Examples:

Al entrar al cuarto, vi un perro grande y feo. (Upon entering the room, I saw a large, ugly dog.)

Al terminar la escuela, dormí por tres días. (Upon finishing school, I slept for three days.)

Al despertarme, me visto en un traje negro. (Upon awaking, I dress in a black suit.)

 

More uses of infinitives with prepositions

To express instructions, explain how to do something, or say “in order to…”

Use para + infinitive. This means “in order to…” OR “to…”

Examples:

Para jugar fútbol, se necesita una pelota. (In order to play soccer, a ball is needed. OR To play soccer, a ball is needed.)

Fuimos a la playa para nadar. (We went to the beach in order to swim. OR We went to the beach to swim.)

Ella usa el horno para preparar la cena. (She uses the oven in order to prepare dinner. OR She uses the oven to prepare dinner.)

For more about para, see por and para III.

 

With prepositions that involve de, such as después de, antes de, en vez de, etc.

Note that in order to use the infinitive, the subject of the first verb must be the same as the subject of the second. If this seems confusing, look at this English example:

I run before I eat. (Subject of both verbs is the same.)

They ran before he arrived. (Subject of the first verb is “they,” subject of the second verb is “he.”)

You could translate the first sentence using antes de + infintive, as follows: Yo corro antes de comer. The second sentence could not be translated with an infintive because the subject changes from the first verb to the second. In that case, you would need the subjunctive.

Examples:

Tú estudias después de ducharte. (You study after showering.)

Ella usa la computadora en vez de leer. (She uses the computer instead of reading.)

Yo toco el piano con la meta de ser un pianista profesional. (I play the piano with the goal of being a professional pianist.)

 

After some other assorted prepositions

The subject of both verbs must still be the same in order to use the infinitive as the second verb. Some prepositions like this include sin and hasta.

Examples:

Ellos bailan sin escuchar música. (They dance without listening to music.)

Leí un libro hasta llegar al aeropuerto. (I read a book until arriving at the airport.)

 

Practice