Contents · A2
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A verb phrase combines a conjugated verb with an infinitive or a gerund: only the first verb changes with the person and the tense, and the second is invariable. At A1, querer + infinitive (quiero comer) is a first example; A2 adds the near future, obligation, possibility, an action that has just happened or happens again, and an action in progress, with the gerund.
The near future: ir a + infinitive#
Formation
The near future is formed with ir in the present, the preposition a and the infinitive: voy a, vas a, va a, vamos a, vais a, van a + infinitive. The preposition is never left out: Voy a salir.
Use
Ir a + infinitive is used like English “going to”: for a plan, an intention (Este verano vamos a visitar Galicia), or for what the situation shows is coming: Mira las nubes: va a llover. The present alone, with an expression of time, also expresses a planned future (“The present of irregular verbs: pienso, puedo, pido, salgo, conozco”).
- Esta tarde voy a estudiar en la biblioteca.This afternoon I'm going to study in the library.
- ¿Qué vais a hacer el domingo?What are you going to do on Sunday?
- Mis primos van a vivir en Valencia.My cousins are going to live in Valencia.
- Hace mucho calor: voy a abrir la ventana.It's very hot: I'm going to open the window.
Difference from English
Voy a comer matches “I'm going to eat” word for word, the a in the place of “to”, but without “am”: the present of ir alone is used. The same preposition introduces the place you go to (Voy a Sevilla): Voy a Sevilla a ver a mi tía contains both.
Common mistakes
Voy comer en casa.→ Voy a comer en casa.Between ir and the infinitive, the preposition a is required.Mira las nubes: va llover.→ Mira las nubes: va a llover.The preposition a is never left out, even with a weather verb.
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Obligation, possibility, beginning and repetition: tener que, poder, acabar de, volver a#
Formation
In these verb phrases, the first verb is conjugated with its irregularities in the present, and the infinitive follows, directly or after que, de or a, according to the verb.
| Verb phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tener que + infinitive | a person's obligation (“have to”) | Tengo que trabajar. |
| hay que + infinitive | general obligation, with no subject (“you have to”, “one must”) | Hay que comprar pan. |
| poder + infinitive | ability, permission (“can”, “may”) | ¿Puedo entrar? |
| acabar de + infinitive | an action that has just happened (“have just”) | Acabo de llegar. |
| empezar a + infinitive | the start of an action (“start to”, “begin to”) | Empieza a llover. |
| volver a + infinitive | an action that happens again (“again”) | Vuelvo a llamar. |
| aprender a + infinitive | learning (“learn to”) | Aprendo a nadar. |
Tener que and hay que. Tener que has a subject and is conjugated: tengo que, tienes que, tenemos que. Hay que is impersonal and invariable, like hay: Hay que llegar pronto. With a subject expressed, tener que is used: Ana tiene que estudiar.
Poder. Poder (o → ue) is followed by the infinitive without a preposition: puedo, puedes, puede, pueden, but podemos, podéis. It is also used for a polite request: ¿Puedes cerrar la puerta?
Acabar de, empezar a, volver a. Acabar de is in the present where English uses the present perfect: Acabo de llegar, “I've just arrived”. Empezar changes its stem (empieza, empiezan, but empezamos), as does volver (vuelve, but volvemos). Volver a + infinitive corresponds to “again” or to the prefix “re-”: vuelvo a ver la película, “I watch the film again”.
- Mañana tengo que levantarme a las seis.Tomorrow I have to get up at six.
- Para entrar en el museo hay que pagar.You have to pay to get into the museum.
- ¿Podemos cenar en la terraza?Can we have dinner on the terrace?
- Mi hermana acaba de salir.My sister has just gone out.
- Mi abuelo vuelve a contar la misma historia.My grandfather is telling the same story again.
Difference from English
English “have to” has no word between the verb and the infinitive other than “to”; Spanish tener is followed by que: Tengo que estudiar. The impersonal “you have to” or “one must” is hay que, with no subject. “I've just eaten” is in the present: Acabo de comer, never with haber. “Again” is often volver a + infinitive rather than an adverb: Vuelve a llover, “it's raining again”. Empezar and aprender are followed by a, like ir a.
Common mistakes
Tengo hacer los deberes.→ Tengo que hacer los deberes.The obligation is expressed by tener que: the que is required.Ana hay que trabajar.→ Ana tiene que trabajar.With a subject, tener que is used; hay que has no subject.Empiezo estudiar.→ Empiezo a estudiar.Empezar is followed by a before the infinitive.Pode venir mañana.→ Puede venir mañana.Under the stress, the o of poder becomes ue.
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The gerund: hablando, comiendo, leyendo, durmiendo#
Formation
The gerund is formed from the stem of the infinitive: verbs in -ar take -ando (hablando, trabajando), verbs in -er and -ir take -iendo (comiendo, viviendo, escribiendo). It is invariable.
| hablar | |
|---|---|
| hablando |
Gerunds in -yendo. When the stem ends in a vowel, -iendo is written -yendo: leer → leyendo, oír → oyendo, traer → trayendo, caer → cayendo, construir → construyendo. Ir has yendo.
Gerunds with a stem change. Verbs in -ir that change their stem in the present also change it in the gerund: e → i in pedir → pidiendo, decir → diciendo, servir → sirviendo, repetir → repitiendo, seguir → siguiendo, vestir → vistiendo; o → u in dormir → durmiendo. The stem of verbs in -ar and -er does not change (pensando, volviendo, jugando), except in poder: pudiendo.
| Change | Examples |
|---|---|
| regular | hablando, comiendo, viviendo |
| -iendo → -yendo | leyendo, oyendo, trayendo |
| e → i (verbs in -ir) | pidiendo, diciendo, sirviendo |
| o → u | durmiendo |
A pronoun is attached to the end of the gerund, which then takes a written accent: leyéndolo (“The direct object: lo, la, los, las, me, te, nos, os”).
- Mi padre está cocinando.My father is cooking.
- Los niños están leyendo en su habitación.The children are reading in their room.
- ¿Qué estás diciendo?What are you saying?
- El bebé está durmiendo.The baby is sleeping.
Difference from English
The Spanish gerund looks like the English -ing form, but it has fewer uses: it is never used as a noun, nor after a preposition, where Spanish uses the infinitive. “Swimming is fun” is Nadar es divertido, and “before eating” is antes de comer.
Common mistakes
Estoy leiendo.→ Estoy leyendo.After a vowel, -iendo is written -yendo.Está dormiendo.→ Está durmiendo.In the gerund, the o of dormir becomes u.Estamos pediendo la cuenta.→ Estamos pidiendo la cuenta.In the gerund, the e of pedir becomes i.Antes de comiendo, me lavo las manos.→ Antes de comer, me lavo las manos.After a preposition, the infinitive is used.
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Saying what is happening now: estar + gerund#
Formation
An action in progress is expressed with estar, conjugated, followed by the gerund: estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están + gerund. Only estar changes with the person: Estamos comiendo.
Use
Estar + gerund presents an action as in progress at the moment spoken of: ¿Qué haces? — Estoy escribiendo un correo. The simple present can also describe what is happening (¿Qué haces?), whereas estar + gerund stresses that the action is under way. After another verb, the gerund also expresses the way the action is done: Mi hermano va al colegio andando, Aprendo español escuchando la radio.
- No puedo hablar ahora: estoy trabajando.I can't talk now: I'm working.
- ¿Con quién está hablando tu madre?Who is your mother talking to?
- Está nevando en las montañas.It's snowing in the mountains.
- Mi abuela vuelve a casa andando.My grandmother walks home.
Difference from English
Estar + gerund is built like the English present continuous, with estar and never ser, but it is used only for an action in progress. A plan for the future is in the simple present or with ir a: “I'm leaving tomorrow” is Mañana salgo, not estoy saliendo. The simple present often translates the English continuous as well: ¿Qué haces?, “what are you doing?”. “To walk somewhere” is often ir andando or ir a pie.
Common mistakes
Soy comiendo.→ Estoy comiendo.An action in progress is expressed with estar.Estoy comer.→ Estoy comiendo.After estar, the verb is in the gerund.Mañana estoy saliendo para Sevilla.→ Mañana salgo para Sevilla.A planned future is in the present, not with estar + gerund.
In short
| Point | Formation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| near future | ir + a + infinitive | Voy a salir. |
| obligation | tener que; hay que (no subject) | Tengo que irme. Hay que pagar. |
| possibility | poder + infinitive | ¿Puedo pasar? |
| have just | acabar de + infinitive | Acaba de llegar. |
| start, again | empezar a, volver a + infinitive | Vuelve a llover. |
| gerund | -ando; -iendo; -yendo | hablando, comiendo, leyendo |
| stem change | e → i, o → u (verbs in -ir) | pidiendo, durmiendo |
| action in progress | estar + gerund | Estoy leyendo. |
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